The Champion of the Razgriz
by doom357
Summary: A pilot with a cursed and tragic past must deal with skepticism as he joins Wardog. Where others look at him with disgust one female pilot begins to take a liking to the pilot called 'Blaze'. BlazexNagase. Rated T for language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own Ace Combat 5._

A/N: Some of the planes the Yukes and other pilots fly may be different from how they appear in the game or may not be in the game entirely. I changed this to add an extra depth of realism to the not too unrealistic AC 5. You'll notice the changes and the differences between the aircraft flown by all sides as you read. That's all, enjoy!

CH. 1: THE WAR 15 YEARS AGO

1995…for most that was the year the last war was fought and ended. Like many other wars fought in the past it was brutal. Belka, the belligerent nation to the north, had invaded the southern countries once again. Their industrial capacity, stretched to its max was used to enslave the people it conquered in the first two months of the war. But their might was overtaxed and they couldn't sustain it for long. The two nations of Osea and Yuktobania combined their militaries and pushed the Belkans back across their prewar borders and beyond despite desperate counterattacks by the Belkans.

Then, the worst act of humanity was committed. In the gorge that allowed land passage into Belka from the south, the only one, called "The Belkan Gate" was comprised of seven cities. As the allied armies advanced to the poorly defended gorge victory seemed inevitable. But in multiple flashes of blinding light seven Belkan cities and over nine million people were vaporized in the detonations of seven nuclear bombs. The Belkans nuked their own cities and their own people to stave off the allies. It worked; perhaps too well.

For a few too many that war, like many before it, was viewed as 'the last war'. Talk about fools. They thought peace would last forever. But even in a world dominated by light there would always be shadows. Black and white; up and down; right and left; good and evil; one cannot exist without the other. As long as there are humans on this planet there will always be some who will resort to despicable acts of cruelty for whatever reason. That's why people like 'him' do what they do.

His real name is Hannibal Ingram, but those who know him either call him "Kid" or more widely "Blaze". He was perhaps the greatest ace who ever lived. This is his story…

XXXXX

-1 March 1995

Father had burst into the house late at night. He turned off al the lights and shone a flashlight around. "We have to go!" He shouted as he took his wife's hand. "Now! Get Hannibal and pack your things!"  
"Wolfgang," she called to her husband, "What's wrong?"

"The Belkans are heading this way!" Now she was panicking she rushed to her son's room and roused him from his sleep.

"Hanny," she whispered to him. "Get dressed, sweetie. Hurry."

"Mommy?" He groaned as he sat up. "What's wrong?"

"Honey, just get dressed. Do as I say!" Hannibal got out of bed and hurriedly threw on some blue jeans and jacket. As he was tying his shoes he heard a noise downstairs. More shouts followed as what sounded like a struggle took place. He snuck to the railing that overlooked the stairs and into the living room.

He saw four men carrying large rifles and a fifth with a handgun. "Is there anyone in the house?" The man with the handgun shouted at the father.

"Please, just leave us alone!" Mother begged from her knees. The leader turned around and pistol whipped her to the floor.

"You bastard!" Father charged but was knocked to the ground by a soldier and beaten by several feet.

"You are a traitor!" The leader shouted at the father. "Dishonoring yourself and your countrymen by marrying an Osean whore!" One of the other soldiers slung his rifle and bent down to the mother. Hannibal watched as his mother was thrown onto the sofa and had her night clothes ripped from her body.

"NO!" She screamed but was slapped by the solder who then began to rape her. Another soldier came over to her and roughly began groping her. Hannibal's father looked up to see his beautiful blonde haired wife being raped and moaning in disgust.

"You bastards!" Father rose up from the ground, punched a soldier to the ground and stripped him of his rifle. He fired a shot into the soldier groping his wife before he was ripped apart by a hail of gunfire.

"NO-mph!" Hannibal shrieked as he covered his mouth.

"What was that?" The leader barked as he looked around.

"Hannibal!" His mother cried out. "RUN!" The leader pressed his barrel against her temple and sent her brains splattering onto the sofa with a gunshot.

"Up there!" The leader pointed as he saw a ten year old boy dart into the attic. Gunshots followed Hannibal as he closed the attic door.

He ran to the attic window and kicked it open as the deadbolt was shot off the door. The soldiers burst into the attic and began looking about. One soldier spotted the open window. "He got away, sir!" The soldier reported.

"Forget it," the leader said as he holstered his bloody weapon. "He won't last long out there. Set the house on fire!"

As the flames began to lick up into the attic Hannibal got out from behind a pile of boxes and climbed out of the attic. The soldiers thought he had escaped but he didn't have time to get out before they saw him. He ran into the woods behind his house as the soldiers walked away from the front door.

XXXXX

-2 March 1995

Hannibal, with minor burns on his back and neck walked through the woods aimlessly for hours. He had just seen his parents murdered and his mother raped. And he was nearly killed seconds afterwards. It was a terrible thing to happen for a ten year old child. "Halt!" Hannibal nearly jumped out of his skin when a figure burst from what he thought was a pile of compost. The soldier raised a rifle onto him and Hannibal just froze.

"Easy, John," another figure rose form behind the first. "It's just a kid." The soldier relaxed as six more soldiers appeared from the brush. "El-tee, we've got a kid here," the second soldier called to one of the others.

"I can see that," their leader replied as he knelt beside Hannibal. "He's got burn injuries, Doc!"

"On it, el-tee," a medic came over and began dressing the child's wounds.

"What are we going to do with him, boss?" A soldier asked.

"We can't just leave him here," another said as dawn began to break.

"Where are your parents?" The medic asked the boy. Hannibal looked over at the medic and mouthed the words 'they're dead'. "Oh, I see."

"We've got to get to the retrieval point," the leader said. "We'll take him with us." The medic scooped the kid up in his arms as they removed themselves from the area.

An hour later the special ops team met up with the extraction chopper, loaded themselves and the boy onto the chopper and extracted from enemy territory. That was fifteen years ago…


	2. Chapter 2

CH. 2: BLAZE

-23 Sept. 2010

"Baker, Svenson," Bartlett, a.k.a. "Heartbreak One", called out to his wingmen, "go trail and stay close. The three of us will go high and engage the bandits. "All other aircraft stay low and out of the fight." What Captain Bartlett didn't know was that the enemy aircraft were not at twenty-five thousand feet but twenty-five _hundred _feet. Before he knew it, his nuggets were getting slaughtered.

"They're firing on us!" A trainee cried out before his radio was cut short when his plane disintegrated as the instructors dove down to the 'rescue'.

"I can't shake-" another trainee's F-5 went up in a ball of flame when a MiG-29 shot him down.

"Hit the deck nuggets!" Bartlett ordered as his flight got into the battle. But it was too late; five planes were already down leaving only two trainees' left.

"I've got two on my tail!" A trainee cried out as he began to hyperventilate.

"Turn right!" Another trainee, this one a female, called out to him. "Hard lock! Edge, fox two!" A sidewinder leapt from her plane and impacted onto one of the MiG's. But the other MiG opened up on his target with his cannons shooting him out of the sky.

"Help meee-!" The nugget begged as his plane was engulfed in flames.

"Shit!" Svenson cursed. "Where'd he come fr-!" His plane burst into flame as a MiG blew past his plane spewing 30mm shells into his F-5.

"Hit the deck!" Bartlett ordered. "All aircraft, turn and evade! Get out now!" The last surviving trainee rolled in behind him as the three planes dove for the ocean waves. Baker, the other instructor rolled after them as a 30mm shell impacted his rudder and another hit his port wing.

"Damn, I'm hit!" He swore as the three planes bugged out leaving the five MiG's circling the air behind them. They did not pursue.

"I can't keep her level," Baker growled. "I'm losing hydraulics. The rudder is not responding! Shit! I can't keep her up!"

"Eject, Nick!" Bartlett ordered from his F-4. "Eject!" It was too late. The F-5 dove into the ground short of the emergency runway. There was no time for Lt. Nick Baker to eject from his crippled plane.

XXXXX

Bartlett and Albert Genette, a photo-journalist, walked back to the main building with heads hung low. "That pilot in the number seven was amazing," Genette was a little too upbeat for the dismal after events. "Did you see her fight back?"

"I couldn't bare to watch," Bartlett growled. "Nagase!" He shouted at the trainee, only fifteen feet away. "You keep flying like that and you'll die real soon!"

"I won't die, sir," 2nd Lt. Kei 'Edge' Nagase responded almost in a whisper as she brushed her jaw length hair back.

"Are you sure? You look like you couldn't hurt a fly." Bartlett grumbled as he continued walking.

Later, in the squadron crew room, Nagase and the other trainees who were still on the ground, including and a handful of replacement trainees gathered in front of Bartlett. "I know you don't like this," he started, "but we're short on people. Starting tomorrow all you nuggets are going to be sittin' alert. If we launch stay glued to me up there. Nagase," he turned to the dark haired pilot.

"Sir," she whispered once more.

"You're flying number two on my wing. Gotta keep an eye on you or who knows what you'll get yourself into." He growled in a good natured manner. "Davenport! You're flying number three!"

"Aw, man," the twenty-nine year old pilot nicknamed "Chopper" bitched. "I mean…yes, sir."

"Who'll be flying number four?" Nagase asked next. At that moment they heard a plane land.

"That would be him," Bartlett said as he walked over to the window. Outside an F-5 with a 'V' shaped emblem of flames on the nose pulled into the nearest hanger.

A few minutes later Nagase was in the lunge reading her book. The sun had set and a moonlit night had fallen. Her attention was brought to the door when it opened. A smiling Bartlett walked in chuckling. Behind the forty-two year old walked a younger pilot about twenty-five year's of age. He had hazel/brown eyes and trimmed dark brown hair. He had a clean shaven and handsome face with what looked like a burn scar on the left side of his neck. "Ah, there she is," Bartlett said. "Nagase," they walked over to her as she stood up. "This is our new wingman, 2nd Lieutenant Hannibal Ingram. Weird name, I know, so just call him 'Blaze'."

"Thanks for pep talk, boss," Blaze shot back at Bartlett who grinned.

"'Kid,' don't start with me. Anyway, hotshot, this 2nd Lt. Kei Nagase, callsign 'Edge'."

"Pleased to meet you," Blaze shook her hand gently. Nagase let out an inaudible gasp as what felt like an electric current surge through her body at his touch.

"Likewise, Blaze," she managed to reply with barely discernable nervousness.

"He doesn't bite, Nagase," Bartlett teased. "Oh, I've got a little bet going with Pops on you two."

"Oh, boy," Blaze grinned as he rubbed his nose.

"You see," he turned to Nagase, "Blaze here is just as wild on the stick as you are. Odd as it may seem he may even be more nuts than you."

"So you've got another bet going on about that?" Blaze looked over at his mentor.

"You got it. Anyway I've got to report to the 'Emperor' now. You two get some quality time in, alright?" Bartlett then departed.

XXXXX

"So how do you know the Captain so well?" Nagase asked as Blaze sat down in a lounge chair with a cup of coffee.

"When I was going through the flight academy up at Heirlark he was my instructor," Blaze responded after a sip of Joe. "He personally took me under his wing and taught me every trick he knew. I learned faster than anyone up there so he put in a transfer request to come down here when I was rotated to this squadron. He kept up his tutelage of me in advanced combat and maneuvers. I got my full wings six months ago and was shipped back up to Heirlark as an aggressor." He scoffed at that. "What a shitty detail," he bitched. "I only flew once a week and only then I could only fly slowly for those nuggets to practice locking on an easy target. I always get the shit details. Damn racists."

"I'm sorry?" Nagase asked sitting up in the sofa.

"Pardon my language," he apologized. "But you've probably figured out that my last name is Belkan. Well, I'm half-Belkan. And because of that most of the higher ups relegated me to the shit details. When I was in basic I always the first to be picked to clean the toilets, always the first to be used as a 'demonstration' for defense tactics, etc. I was hardly cut any slack because fifty percent of my genetic coding is Belkan."

"I…see," she whispered.

"Do you?" He asked her. "I'm _not_ a Belkan," he growled, "I was _born_ an Osean citizen. I've never done anything to warrant such hostility except be born to a Belkan father…" his eyes became distant after that. "I'm sorry," he whispered sinking back into his chair. "I shouldn't have gotten angry with you. I'm…just so used to be pushed around by others."

"I…I don't know what to say," Nagase began to feel sorry for him. _'So tragic.'_

"Yeah, well, don't let it bother you." At that moment Chopper came in.

"Hey, who's this guy?" He asked walking over to the two. "Make a new friend, hot thing?" Chopper grinned at Nagase.

"This is Blaze," Nagase introduced the flamboyant Chopper.

"Hi," Chopper shook Blaze's hand. "I'm Chopper! I guess you're the new wingman, huh?"

"That's right," Blaze responded.

"_Second Lieutenant Ingram,"_ Perault's voice came over the loud speaker. _"Report to my office."_

"He's not wasting time," Blaze grumbled as he stood up.

"Wait, that's you?" Chopper asked. _'He's…a Belkan?'_ Nagase did not like the look on his face.

"Something wrong with that?" Blaze shot back as he pushed past Chopper.

'_So much for a happy introduction,'_ Nagase grumbled inside herself. She had hoped she could help Blaze make a friend with Chopper. Chopper was a likable guy and easy to get along with. She figured he was Blaze's best chance of having a friend.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I got a few reviews on Blaze's background. I added that in to add an extra dimension to his character so as to put more of a discernable wedge between him and his superior officers. It'll especially come into play later in the plot as they become the Razgriz. Thanks for the reviews.

CH. 3: FIRST ENGAGEMENT

-24 Sept. 2010

The next day started at 0530 with breakfast. Nagase ran into Blaze, almost literally, right outside the café door. "Sorry," she said, "I didn't see you there."

"Don't sweat it," Blaze said as he pushed the door open for her. Nagase smiled a little at his generosity. Blaze fell in behind her and in front of Chopper in the breakfast line. He followed her to her table and sat sown next to Bartlett. "So," Blaze struck up conversation, "anything new on what happened yesterday?" He wasn't there for the altitude FUBAR committed by the command room and the AWACS "Thunderhead".

"No." Bartlett growled. Blaze knew the Captain had to be kicking himself in the ass over the incident. He liked Jack Bartlett; he was like an older brother to him. Bartlett stuck up for Blaze when he was at Heirlark and took him under his wing when the other instructors were reluctant to fly in the same formation with him let alone share a T-45 Goshawk cockpit. "And as far as the public is concerned the whole incident never occurred."

"Tell that to the families who'll be busy preparing funerals," Blaze grumbled along with his boss.

"Where are you from Blaze?" Chopper asked hesitantly.

"I was born in Webster along the border with the former South Belka," Blaze responded. "I was raised there until fifteen years ago."

"Fifteen…you mean the war?"

"Yes," Blaze groaned. "I mean the war." Nagase noticed the unsettling tone of his voice. He spoke of the war like it was something personal to him. "And I don't want to talk about it right now." He said finally as he focused his attention to his scrambled eggs.

'_Something happened to him,'_ Nagase deduced.

At 0730 they were called into the briefing room. An unidentified spy plane had breached Osean air space. It was fired on by SAM (Surface to Air Missile) batteries and damaged. Wardog Squadron was tasked with intercepting the plane and bringing it in for a landing.

In the semi-coed locker rooms the pilots changed from their trousers and jackets and into their flight suits. Glancing through the slat partition from the female side of the room Nagase saw Blaze as he zipped up his survival vest. He then grabbed a black flight helmet and met her outside on the tarmac. As he donned the helmet she noticed the decals on it. From the central forehead around to the back and around to the ears was a silver and gray dragon. The angular head ran down along the forehead while the wings and talons wrapped around from the back to the ears just behind the jaws. Along the brow of the helmet, emblazoned in red and orange lettering was his callsign 'Blaze'.

'_I wonder how he got that callsign. He may not answer,'_ she pondered to herself as she became more and more curious about the handsome aviator by the minute. "Blaze?" She finally spoke up as they neared the flight line. "How'd you get your call sign?" She noticed the same distant look in his eyes when he mentioned his family yesterday. "Uh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"I'll tell you tonight," he said, "after dinner." _'She seems understandable,'_ Blaze said to himself. "Good luck up there," he said to her as he turned to his plane.

"You too, Blaze," she responded as she followed after the Captain.

XXXXX

"You got that nuggets?" Bartlett asked his wingmen after AWACS Thunderhead gave them their orders.

"Wardog 2," Nagase responded, "roger."

"Wardog 3, roger," Chopper chimed in. Blaze tried to respond but the radio in his plane was a bit on the fritz. The end of Chopper's transmission had buzzed with static. Blaze smacked his radio and fixed the problem.

"Wardog 4, hello?" Bartlett's voice called out him. "Can you hear me, kid? You better be marking our tail, son."

"Sorry, sir," Blaze breathed into his mask. "I had a gremlin in my radio. I'm good now."

"Looks like your confident at least," Bartlett reassured him. "Don't get separated from me."

"Man," Chopper chuckled over the radio. "I'm glad you drew the short straw instead of me."

'_Thanks, smart ass,'_ Blaze glared over at Chopper's plane.

"Second Lieutenant Alvin H. Davenport," Bartlett snapped at Chopper. "Zip it! You need a nickname too?"

'_Captain was quick to stand up for Blaze,' _Nagase said to herself. _'They really are close.'_

"I respectfully ask to be called 'Chopper' sir." Chopper responded heartily. "I'm afraid I may not be able to respond to any other moniker."

"Hm," Bartlett hummed. "That does fit you well. I got a better nickname for you but I'll keep it to myself, okay?" Blaze allowed himself an unmistakable chuckle over the radio.

"Aw cut me some slack man."

"Target in sight," Blaze called out to the squadron as he spotted the spy plane just over the water. It was a TU-22RDM recce aircraft; a modified bomber aircraft originally used during the Belkan War fifteen years ago by Yuktobania.

"Tally ho, we've got company," Bartlett announced, "Let's go." They broke right and followed after the target. Blaze turned right with the Captain, staying glued to his trail. "You're forbidden to fire until I give the command, understand?"

"Perfectly sir," Blaze responded.

"Good boy." They hit their afterburners and raced up behind the plane. "Alright where's 'Motormouth' Chopper?" Blaze allowed himself a grin under his mask.

"Wha- That's your name for me?" Chopper stuttered.

"You've got a knack for comic dialogue. You mind sending a surrender request for me?"

"Oh no, please," Chopper declined as if he didn't get the idea. "Age before beauty."

"I'm real shy around strangers you know," Blaze knew this was Bartlett's way of tormenting Chopper for the short straw comment earlier.

"Geez…testing, testing. Attention unidentified aircraft, set your course for our beacon immediately." They raced past the plane, Blaze buzzing right above to cockpit to get the pilots' attentions.

"Good." Blaze and the others broke and turned back to the plane.

"Uh, we will direct you to the nearest airfield. Lower your gear if you understand."

"I don't think he understands," Blaze commented when he didn't see the gears come down.

"_Attention,"_ Thunderhead came on the radio. _"We have more high speed bogeys inbound. Approaching unidentified aircraft vector 280, altitude 6,000. Hold your fire until further orders."_

"Crossing the pond to fly cover for their spy plane huh?" Bartlett said to no one in particular as the flight turned to intercept the bogeys. "Now there's a fighter pilot worth his wings. Enemy inbound bearing 280, head on! You're not to fire until say it's okay, got me?"

"Got ya, boss," Blaze responded to his mentor and CO.

"Good boy."

'_What am I?'_ Blaze asked himself, _'A lap dog?'_ They formed up in a line abreast formation with Blaze in the middle just in front of and below the Captain. Blaze tracked the bogeys on his radar as both formations raced towards each other. From the display he made them out to be MiG-21's. He looked up as they came into view. He saw a missile fly out from the lead plane towards Bartlett's and tracers race form the other planes. Blaze braked hard and turned immediately.

"Heads up!" Chopper yelled out. "They're firing on us!" He just had to state the obvious. Bartlett threw his missile off as Blaze turned around and lined up behind the lead fighter.

"_Wardog Squadron,"_ Thunderhead came on the line, _"weapons safe. Hold your fire until further orders."_

"Bullshit!" Blaze swore as he got a lock on the plane that fired on Bartlett.

"Oh come on!" Chopper shouted to Thunderhead. "Those aren't blanks they're firing at us out there!"

"Shut your mouth and fire back!" Bartlett ordered as Blaze loosed a sidewinder.

"Ten steps ahead of ya boss!" Blaze said as his MiG vaporized in a ball of flame.

"_Captain Bartlett, this is Thunderhead. You are violating direct orders."_

"Shove it!" Bartlett growled. "I'm not going to watch anymore of my pilots die! We're going to shoot them all down kid."

"Gladly," Blaze said as he maneuvered behind another MiG.

"_Wardog weapons safe!"_

"Edge, fox two!" Nagase fired on a third MiG, destroying it with a sidewinder. "Bandit down!"

"Blaze, fox two!" His second sidewinder leapt from his wing and impacted the MiG on the starboard wing, sending it tumbling to the ocean below.

"_Hold your fire!"_ Thunderhead ordered in futile.

"GRRRAAAGGGGHHH!" Chopper groaned as he evaded the cannon fire from a MiG on his tail.

"You ain't gettin' away," Bartlett said as he bagged the bandit behind Chopper with a sidewinder.

"Four more bandits inbound hot!" Blaze said as he turned to engage. Nagase was closest and flew along behind him as he raced towards the bandits. It was going to be two on four.

"_Wardog, I ordered weapons safe, hold your fire until further orders."_

"Oh shut up!" Blaze shot out as he fired his nose cannons into the cockpit of the lead plane as he flew through the formation.

"Edge, fox two!" Nagase fired on the second plane, turning it into scrap as she did the same stunt as Blaze.

"Edge!" Blaze called out to her. "You've got a bandit on your six! He's firing, break right!" Nagase turned hard as the tracers fell short of her plane. She jinked and turned to evade.

"I can't shake him!" Nagase screamed as she continued to evade the bullets.

"Head for the deck!" Blaze told her as he got behind her bandit. "I'll get him." Edge broke hard and dove as the bandit climbed to evade hitting her plane. "Blaze, fox two!" The sidewinder leapt from under the wing and blew the MiG in half. "Bandit down, you're clear!" he called to her as she climbed back up.

"Blaze! You're six!" Nagase cried out as she saw a MiG line up on him. A half second later the missile alarm went off in his cockpit. What Nagase saw next she thought was impossible. Blaze broke upward and rolled, leaving sharp contrails, throwing off the missile and leveled off right behind his attacker in the blink of an eye. Their planes missed colliding by mere feet. He hit his thrust to stabilize his plane right behind the last bandit.

"Sayonara!" Blaze said as he let his last sidewinder loose and destroyed the last MiG. "Picture clear!"

'_He's…amazing,'_ Nagase said as she formed up with him. The two of them had just bagged a combined kill score of seven fighters with Blaze getting five of them and becoming an ace right then and there.

"_All unknown bogey aircraft destroyed,"_ Thunderhead reported as Bartlett and Chopper formed up as they headed back to base. _"All aircraft RTB."_

"This is your Captain, can you hear my voice?"

"Crystal clear, sir," Blaze said as his muscles relaxed.

"Good, looks like we can all hear each other. You all alive?" As if he had to ask. "Alright, good work nuggets. Wardog 4, you still following us? Well, to commemorate the fact that we all made it out of that battle alive, I'm gonna let you keep your nickname. From now on, I'm gonna call you 'Kid'. Got it? Good."

'_Am I supposed to feel honored by that?'_ Blaze asked himself.

"Man, I swear," Chopper groaned at the light heartedness between Bartlett and Blaze. It was as if he was treating Blaze like a little brother instead of a subordinate.

'_Blaze…'_ Nagase said to herself as she looked back to his unscathed plane. _'Who are you?'_


	4. Chapter 4

CH. 4: FRIENDS

-24 Sept. 2010

On the leg back to Sand Island Nagase kept running the maneuvers Blaze was pulling during the battle. He flew as if he wasn't in the plane but actually _was _the plane. _'His flying was aggressive…' _Nagase said as she watched his plane taxi to a park. _'And yet, somehow, graceful.'_ She watched him climb out of the cockpit and down to the tarmac. He let out an exhale after he removed his helmet. Nagase half hid behind the nose of her plane as he walked past her. But, Blaze noticed her out of the corner of his eye and allowed himself the faintest of smirks.

As they were changing back into their ground attire of trousers and jackets Nagase allowed herself a sneaking look at Blaze. He was shirtless with his trousers already on. She noticed there were three more burn scars on his upper back along his shoulder blades. She figured they were from the same fire as the one on his neck. She also noticed his build. He was slender, marginally thinner than Bartlett and with a good six inches of height over her at an even six feet like Chopper, but the meat on his bones was all sinew muscles making him look ripped.

Her 'ogling' was cut short when he drew a black form fitting t-shirt over his head. She then watched him withdraw a brown leather flight jacket. Oddly enough, he was one of the few modern pilots who had one of those. The jacket was kept to regulations with his gold 2nd Lt. bars on the shoulder tabs and nametag over the left breast. Nagase brushed her hair back behind her ears, one lock falling back to just to the side of her left eye, and turned back to her locker to remove her sweat soaked shirt and sports bra.

XXXXX

Back inside they were all debriefed individually by Colonel Perault personally. Bartlett was first and received a stern reprimand. When he exited the office he had a whispered conversation with Chopper. "What you said to Blaze out there was out of line," Bartlett growled. "Even for you. So don't do it again."

"What do you mean, sir?" Chopper asked confusingly.

"I'm talking about the short straw comment," Heartbreak One reminded him. "I know he's half-Belkan but he's _not_ the enemy. Kid has been dealt nothing but short straws his whole life. We're on the same team so you'd better start to act like it. And you cut him some slack. That's an order." Bartlett then left as the door opened to the office for the next 'victim'.

Blaze went in next since he fired the first shot. Though to Blaze he wasn't the first to shoot. He had known Perault when he was still a trainee at the base. He guessed the day Perault was required to pin his wings on him must've been a painful experience for the prejudiced fat Colonel. "It's only your second day back here on Sand Island," the Beluga Whale sized Perault sneered at the twenty-five year old 'unofficial' ace, "And you're already violating orders. You don't like to waste any time do ya?"

"It was self-defense sir," Nagase heard Blaze retort inside the office. She then tuned her ear against the wall to listen close. She could feel the tension in the office through the wall as easily as she heard the voices. "They fired on us without provocation and without warning. We acted only in self preservation. We were _not_ the aggressors."

"I'll bet you Belkans said the same thing during the last war," Perault shot back aiming below the belt.

"That's cruel," Nagase whispered to herself. Chopper heard her and looked in her direction.

"That's got nothing to do with it, sir," Blaze replied forcefully. "No matter what I am to anyone doesn't change the fact that we were fired on by an unknown hostile force. But I guess that's not important to you behind that shiny mahogany desk of yours."

"Watch your tone with me, you Belkan rat," Perault growled. "Or I'll throw you in the shit can. Dismissed!" The door opened and Blaze marched out.

"I'm already in a shit can, you fat walking diaper stain," Nagase heard him growl to some ghost as he marched away.

XXXXX

Nagase found Blaze sitting by himself at dinner as the setting sunlight streamed in through the windows. Chopper was outside playing Frisbee with the squadron mascot Kirk. Bartlett was talking with Genette and Pops in one of the hangers. She got her tray of food and sat down across from him. "Was it always like that for you?" She asked getting him to look up from his tray.

"What happened in the office?" He responded. "Pretty much. I've been called 'Belkan rat'. 'Belkan shit-stain', 'Belkan scum-bucket' and worse. It's not my fault who I was born to. My parents…" he drifted off. Nagase could tell the subject was like a knife in his chest.

"You don't have to say anything," Nagase said comfortingly. "You don't have to say anything at all."

"It's alright. My parents loved me. They're…not exactly the problem…They…died at the beginning of the last war."

"I'm so sorry. You don't have to tell me what happened."

"No I will. You asked earlier for an explanation on my callsign." He decided to confide in her since he felt he could trust her. He pulled back his jacket collar to reveal the burn scar on the left side. "I got this from that night…" he then told her, in whispers and in a low tone of what happened that night. His mother's rape and murder, his father's vicious death, his house being burned to the ground. The special ops team that rescued him, everything. "That's how I got burned, in the blaze that was set to my home."

"That's…terrible," Nagase whimpered for him.

"I didn't say a word for over a week," he continued. "When I was moved away from the front I was moved from orphanage to orphanage. None of the foster parents wanted to take me either because of my Belkan ancestry or because of my detached nature. That is, until I met this guy, Major Bill 'Bulls Eye' Hawkins. He was a retired ace from the war. He took pity on me and took me in. That's how I got hooked on flying," he said recalling the days of his rough youth. "He treated me good and all, but he wasn't exactly a role model father; he was an alcoholic and it was because of him that I vowed never to touch alcohol." It wasn't an uncommon sight for him to see his 'foster father' stumbled around the apartment in a drunken daze talking to Johnny Ghost. "So instead I'm addicted to coffee and jet fumes," he chuckled along with Nagase who flashed her white teeth. "He just provided a roof over my head and little more."

"You met Capt. Bartlett at the academy?" Nagase asked as they dumped their trays onto the dish belt.

"Yep. He's the closest thing to a father I've had in fifteen years," he said as they walked to the lounge. "I didn't have any friends up there either so I just hung out with him during my free time." He sat down in the same chair he did yesterday and pulled it closer to the sofa as she sat on the sofa with her back against the opposite arm. "I don't think that fact is going to change much."

"Well, I don't know if it means anything, but…" she said turning head to look out the window. "I'd…like to be your friend." He looked over at her in shock. No one had ever volunteered to be his 'friend' openly, let alone a member of the opposite sex. The dusk light cast a golden glow on her that made her exquisite features stand out. It hit Blaze right then just how beautiful Kei Nagase was. Her skin was smooth and without imperfection. Her face glowed like an angel's. Her eyes were half closed and stunning. Her brown hair was smooth and ran down her cheeks to her jaw line with the perfect shine to them. From her slender neck, to her shoulders and below, her frame was strong yet delicate and absolutely beautiful to his eyes.

It seemed impossible to Blaze that such a beautiful creature could be of his species; let alone be flying a war plane and had shot down two fighters earlier today. "Uh…really?" He asked not knowing what to say, still half paralyzed by her angelic beauty and sexy frame. She nodded turning her gaze back to him.

"You're a nice guy," she admitted. "And certainly a better person than some around here," she said referring to the block headed commander. "Plus you…saved my life today. Thank you." She also took note of his facial features. His jaw was strong and his hazel/brown eyes pierced her soul with warmth. She could make out his cheek bones on his face but combined with his other features they only helped to make him more handsome.

"You paid me back a moment later," he said leaning into the chair.

"Not really." She brushed off the compliment. "How'd you pull off that maneuver?" She asked leaning forward. "I've never seen anyone fly with that kind of grace."

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he said leaning close, their faces inches apart. "I usually answer that question by saying that I practiced and worked my ass off, blah, blah, blah. But, aside from Bartlett's tutelage, the truth is I honestly don't really focus too much on actually pulling the maneuvers." She tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "I just…do it. As if I'm not even human; sometimes I forget that I'm human and the plane is nothing but armor around my skin. That's what happened, Edge. I lost sense of being a mortal and became my plane in my mind." Neither noticed that Chopper had come inside and saw them. Their faces were so close together and positioned that to him it looked like they were about to lock lips.

'_Man,'_ Chopper said to himself. _'Nagase must really dig that guy.'_ He thought back to how defensive Bartlett was towards Blaze and took note at how at ease Nagase was with him as well. _'Well, she seems to trust him. I guess I could be a little friendlier towards him.'_ He left the lounge and headed for his room where Kirk was waiting outside his door.

XXXXX

The next two days went by without a hitch. The squadron performed combat air patrols (CAP) in pairs. Blaze was originally transferred to Sand Island as an assistant instructor and aggressor. He took the job instantly for two reasons. One: he'd be reunited with his mentor Bartlett, and two: he'd get to fly hard and fast down here as a _real _aggressor. But because of the rising tensions he was put on alert with the rest of Wardog. The training flights were canceled.

However, on the ground he still conducted classroom instructions on advanced air combat maneuvering (ACM), the slang term for it was dog fighting. He used gun camera footage from the previous war and even wars where propeller driven planes were still used. He'd play them in slow motion providing running commentary on the tactics being used. He also recommended the nuggets study up on the capabilities of the plane they'd be flying and those of foreign aircraft.

Chopper also began to open up more to Blaze. But he was still a little nervous around him. But Nagase hoped that would pass as he got to know Blaze better. She held great respect for her new wingman and friend. Especially when he was confronted by others who were not so understanding as she was. She asked him why he stayed in the Air Force if there was such rampant hostility towards him from superiors. "They don't respect you and refuse to allow you any comfort," she had said. "Why did you stay?" She wasn't asking out of rudeness, but rather curiosity.

"When I first flew in a plane," he answered, "It was an old MD-11. But when that bird lifted off the runway I could actually feel its restraint by gravity disappear. It became free. And I wanted to feel that same freedom." They were walking along the flight line at the time and the noon sun reflected in his eye showing the joy that he held for flying. "When I'm up there, especially pulling six plus g's and flying faster than sound, I feel totally free." They looked up to see a pair of seagulls fly over them. He always liked watching the majestic flight of birds like the seagull. "When you step back and think about it, birds are the freest of God's creatures next to humans. If they have the will they could fly anywhere in the world. Fish and whales are restricted to water and can't survive on land. Some land animals can't swim while others can but they can still be cut off by mountains or oceans. Birds on the other hand; nothing can hold them back."

Nagase also hanged out with him in the lounge which became their favorite place to talk. Their conversations were short, simple and always soft toned. "I come from a small town west of St Hewlett," she told her less dramatic life story to Blaze. "We didn't have much to do in the town so I would always sneak out to the airport to watch planes take off and land. It wasn't big enough for jets but the prop planes were enough to get me interested. I took flying lessons when I turned sixteen and after college I decided to try the Air Force. I originally wanted to be an astronaut," she confessed.

"Let me guess," Blaze said. "The Arkbird?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but I didn't meet the physical requirements. So instead I went for fighter training."

"Let me guess, that didn't work either?" Blaze asked teasingly getting a smack on the shoulder from his new best friend.

"Shut up, Blaze."

"Well, I've got to hand it to ya. I didn't even try for astronaut. I'm sure I would've met the 'official' requirements but I knew I still wouldn't make it."

"The same Belkan issue?"

"You got it. But, I guess I could still see you up there looking down on this planet from that White Bird. A God's Eye View, so to speak."

"Still," Nagase continued. "I made out good, I think. I still had to deal with the macho, sexist jerks at the academy who found it unnerving for a female to be in a cockpit. Hell some even tried to hit on me."

"Oof," Blaze grunted. "That probably didn't go over so well with you."

"No, I'd just as soon shove a corkscrew up their ass than date them."

"Ouch." Blaze could only respond with that one word.

Nagase deeply admired the depth of his intelligence and morality. And despite his penchant for getting mouthy on tense subjects, not much different from Captain Bartlett, Nagase began to feel a bit of kinship with him. And that kinship would begin to grow and be the key to many of their successes in the coming months.


	5. Chapter 5

CH. 5: LET THE WAR BEGIN

-26 Sept. 2010

Blaze hardly got along with anyone with a higher rank than him. His bouts with Colonel Perault were becoming issues of legend behind closed doors on Sand Island. The Base Adjutant Commander, Captain Hamilton, was little better at dealing with Blaze. The two had their disagreements but they weren't anywhere as intense as the arguments involving the Colonel. "The Colonel wants me to sit in on your instruction classes from now on," Hamilton informed Blaze that evening. "To check that you're sticking to the SOP."

"You mean he wants you to spy on me?" Blaze retorted knowing full well why Perault wanted Hamilton there.

"I can't speak for the Colonel, but it is procedure for you to stick to the SOP he lies out. He's been hearing rumors that some of your points are not aligned with the standard training syllabus."

"If he wants to teach my classes he's welcome to," Blaze shot back. "But of course he can't because that fat slob has never sat in a cockpit in his life. So what the hell does he know about flying fighter jets?" He then shoved past Hamilton and walked on towards his quarters.

XXXXX

-27 Sept. 2010

It didn't take long for Bartlett to hear about the latest tug-of-war match between Blaze and Perault regarding the training syllabus. He found Blaze on the beach behind housing with an Astroturf mat driving golf balls into the sea. "It seems I can't go a day without hearing about a new rumor of 'Blaze vs. Perault' at morning chow," Bartlett said grabbing the nine iron from the bag and joining Blaze. "If he didn't like you before he absolutely hates you guts now."

"Like I care," Blaze replied as he hit the pimpled sphere two hundred yards into the cerulean ocean. He stepped aside and let Bartlett give it a try.

"Damnit, Kid," Bartlett moaned. "Antagonizing him isn't going to help your case any." He smacked the ball sending it into a strong slice.

"I'm not doing a damn thing," Blaze said shoving the three wood into the bag and picking out the five iron. "Except my job. That's all I ever wanted to do."

"That may not be enough, Hannibal," Bartlett said using Blaze's birth name in an attempt to reach him. "You may have to do more than that. You'll have to do something to make Perault get off your back."

"The only way he'll be happy is if I roll over and play dead for him," Blaze growled as he grabbed another second rate ball from the plastic bag. "I'll do my job and follow my orders; but I'm sure as hell not going to be that obese prick's lap dog." He forcefully sent the ball flying across the water causing it to skip three times before sinking a hundred yards away. "I've had to deal enough of that shit growing up. Well, no more."

Over the past two days, despite the confrontations with Perault, things were starting to cool down. And then just like that things heated up again. An unidentified vessel was spotted in the waters off Sand Island and was launching recon drones. The four Wardog pilots scrambled and took to the air, not knowing that fate was awaiting them.

"_Wardog, this is Thunderhead. Unmanned recon drones returning to spy vessel. Shoot them down before they get back to the ship."_

"Sure thing, you got that gang?" Bartlett replied in his mask. Somewhere, in the back of his head, something was telling him that something bad was about to happen.

"Roger, boss," Blaze replied.

"Alright, let's go!" They kicked in their afterburners and raced towards the drones. "Our orders are to not fire on the ship, understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. Aim only for the recon planes. Show me what you got kid." Bartlett sent Blaze ahead when the drones appeared. Blaze raced ahead and opened up on the drones. He didn't waste expensive missiles on the drones and instead ripped them apart with his cannons. "How ya doin' kid? Pretty easy huh?"

"Like shootin' fish in a barrel," Blaze responded.

"Okay let's hurry up and finish this." Within another minute two more drones were shot down.

"Time for a competition in kill scores," Chopper challenged as he raced to catch up with Blaze.

"Sounds goo to me," Blaze accepted.

"I'm glad there aren't any people in these things," Chopper said as he met up with Blaze over the spy vessel. "Aren't you?"

"Like I said: easy pickings," Blaze replied. True they weren't a challenge but he didn't like taking lives. But that didn't mean he wouldn't if he had to. He'd still prefer dog fighting in practice missions where no one would die but they could still fly as hard and fast as they wanted.

"So we can just shoot them down and not worry about it," Chopper said as they split to take the last four drones. Within another minute all the drones were down.

"Damn," Blaze said as he looked at his radar. "Look's like we've got uninvited guests."

"_Warning high speed bogey's inbound."_ Thunderhead confirmed this.

"Same attack axis as before?" Bartlett inquired.

"_That's confirmed. Bearing 280 degrees. Same vector as last time."_

"Shit, how many planes they got lined up at the border?" Bartlett was thinking the same thing Blaze was. This was all planned. "We have only four on our end. We'd better abort." The squadron turned and headed back towards Sand Island.

"Move your ass, Chopper!" Blaze shouted as Chopper took a little too long to turn away.

"I can't make it!" He said as he banked to evade the MiG-21's. "They're running me down!"

"So you're taking the trail position today, rock and roller?" Bartlett teased. "Hold on. I'll clear your six o'clock for ya."

"I'm on it!" Blaze joined in.

"The rest of you quit gawkin' and start shootin'," Bartlett ordered as Blaze got into the fight. He rolled right in behind a MiG as Bartlett and Nagase each locked onto one.

"_Wardog, you are not cleared to engage at this time!"_ But it was too late; Blaze, Nagase and Bartlett had already downed one fighter each. _"You just splashed an enemy without clearance to engage. What are you thinking Wardog?"_

'_Here we go again,' _Blaze grumbled to himself as he shot down another MiG. Four more bandits popped up on radar and Blaze turned to engage. "More MiGs incoming!" He looked out his port side to see four MiG-29 Fulcrums racing towards the fight.

Nagase formed up on Blaze's wing and both rolled in to engage from above while Bartlett approached head on. Bartlett and Nagase bagged one while Blaze's missile missed its mark. As Nagase lined up behind one MiG the other MiG got behind Blaze. "Blaze! Evade!" Nagase cried out to him as he rolled and banked to evade the fighter.

"Shoot them all down," they heard an unidentified accented voice over the radio.

'_Who the hell is that?' _Blaze thought as he banked hard. He looked up to see Nagase turn a MiG into a ball of fire.

"Bandit down!" Nagase said. "Blaze!" She screamed when she saw his bandit open up on him.

"I'm hit but not bad," he replied. The shells only skimmed his fuselage not doing any damage that would affect his flying. "It's just a scratch, but I could use a little help!"

"I got ya, Blaze!" Chopper said as he finally got into the fight. Blaze pulled up and brought the MiG after him, giving his wingman a perfect aft shot. "Bye, bye!" Chopper said as he loosed a sidewinder into the MiG's engines.

"_Picture clear. All hostile aircraft destroyed,"_ Thunderhead reported.

Then the worst case scenario happened. There was a warning still in effect and the pilots continued circling and scanning the skies. But they forgot about the ship below them. A missile threat alarm went off in Nagase's plane as a SAM was fired on her.

"Edge!" Blaze shouted as she banked hard but the missile stayed with her. She grunted as she rolled to try and evade. She put on the speed to stay ahead of it. Then Bartlett did the unthinkable. He flew straight down behind Nagase and between the missile causing it to follow after him. He rolled to try and throw it off but it impacted on his port side.

"Captain!" Nagase cried out.

"Hey, save the waterworks." Bartlett snapped. "I'm just gonna bail out here. We can replace these things; it's getting the crew back alive that counts. Scramble the search and rescue copter and my reserve plane, okay?" He leveled his F-4 off and yanked on the ejection handle. Since his RIO had been replaced by avionics it was only him who ejected into the blue sky.

"_Warning! Warning!" _Thunderhead came over the radio as Bartlett's chute opened up. _"Wardog Squadron, return to base immediately."_

"But the rescue helicopter isn't here yet," Nagase argued as she took the lead.

"_Leave that to them. Get back to base and rearm. The enemy has declared war on us!"_

"What enemy?" Blaze asked as he watched Bartlett drift in the wind. "The only thing across the ocean is…"

"_Yuktobania declared war two minutes ago! Now RTB and refit, now!"_

XXXXX

Genette was grounded since the encounter on the 23rd. He was restricted to Chopper's quarters until he was let go. On the phone was Captain Hamilton; he was having what seemed like an important call coming in for him from the Commander. Genette couldn't make out much but he did make out the words 'war', 'naval port' and 'attack'.

"Well," Hamilton said after setting the phone down and tapping on it. "We don't have any reason to hold you anymore."

"What happened?" Genette asked as personnel scurried about outside.

"Yuktobania just declared war…" things would never be the same. And Genette would be getting a second row seat to it with the squadron that would become famous in a very short amount of time.

Outside on the tarmac, enlisted personnel refitted Blaze's F-5 with more missiles, 20mm shells and even 1,000 lbs Mk.83 bombs. Pops ran over to his plane after talking to Nagase and Chopper. "What the hell's going on?" Blaze shouted as he removed his mask.

"St. Hewlett is under air and naval attack," Pops shouted up to him. "They were caught with their pants down! You three are going to have to come to their aid! Thunderhead will give you further details in the air!"

"Is it the Yukes?"

"Without a doubt! Their war minister just sent a disturbing message to the President it seems. In essence it was a declaration of total war! Now get up there and show them what you got, Blaze! Make sure Bartlett wins that bet he has with me!" And he ran out of the way so Blaze could taxi to the runway and take off with Nagase and Chopper.

Inside the building Genette picked up his camera and notepad and followed after Hamilton. "Why would Yuktobania attack Osea?" He asked Hamilton when he caught up to him.

"Beats me," Hamilton shrugged. "All I know is that St. Hewlett was taken by surprise. Hell, everyone has been. Now if you'll excuse me," he pushing away, "I have to go manage some ringing phones."

Genette returned to the room and looked out the window. He saw enlisted personnel, including Pops, moving forklifts and trailers filled with various ordinances. Bombs, missiles and fuel tanks were brought out from storage and readied along the flight line. Genette was a civilian and no expert on military doctrine, but he knew that the declaration of war was not a joke or a drill.

_This base is going to get busy really quick,'_ Genette realized instantly.


	6. Chapter 6

CH. 6: SURPRISE ATTACK

-27 Sept. 2010

The three Wardog pilots raced in full afterburner towards St. Hewlett. Thunderhead gave a brief heads up of what was going on. St. Hewlett was a total shit storm. Su-24 ground attack aircraft were strafing and bombing the harbor. So far no allied aircraft were overhead and the AA defenses were not being effective. The prime concern was getting the aircraft carrier Kestrel, flagship of the 3rd Osean Fleet, out of the harbor in one piece.

As they neared the harbor the three pilots could see smoke rising from the fires. _"This is Thunderhead, Edge you lead the formation."_

"Negative," Nagase replied surprisingly. She knew she wasn't the best choice for the job. "You take the lead, Blaze. I'll fly on your wing." She moved over as Blaze eased his plane into the lead position.

"_Second Lieutenant Nagase, follow your orders."_

"No, Blaze is leading I'll protect his six o'clock." She knew he was the best choice due to his experience. "And I'm not going to lose another flight lead."

"Quit screwing around!" A new voice barked over the radio. Suddenly an F-14 Tomcat raced past their flight. "This is war! The enemy's all over and they're gonna eat you alive!"

"I think I'll stick to the trail position thanks!" Chopper chimed in light heartedly.

"This is Snow, callsign 'Swordsman'. Give me a position."

"_Cleared to engage!"_ Thunderhead ordered.

"Let's go get them," Blaze said as they dropped their tanks and got into the fight. "Bandits, twelve o'clock low. Let's get them; follow me!"

"Roger," Nagase said as she raced along behind Blaze. "I'll cover your six, okay Blaze?"

"Right, stick with me. Chopper, keep your head on a swivel."

"Their ships are sitting at anchor," an enemy pilot's voice purred. "This is like target practice."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Blaze said as he lined up on a Fencer. "Fox two!" He loosed a sidewinder that impacted in the cockpit of his target.

"Edge, fox two!" Nagase fired on another Su-24 and blew it in half. "Target down!"

"Uh oh," Chopper said. "More bandits incoming."

"_Confirmed. Enemy attack planes incoming, vector 280."_ Blaze lined up behind a third Fencer and took it down with his guns as more naval fighters took off from the carrier.

"This is not a drill," some moron down in the fleet below took on the role of 'Captain Obvious'.

"No shit," Blaze growled to himself as he led his flight to the new bandits. They were flying low to the water so Blaze dove down after them along with Chopper who zoomed ahead of him.

"Chopper, fox two!" A sidewinder snaked from his plane and took out another Fencer. Blaze got behind the second plane and sent it tumbling into the waves by sending 20mm shells into its engines.

"Bandit down!"

"More enemy aircraft coming in from the north and south," Nagase informed the others.

"Split up," Blaze ordered. "Engage at will."

"You got it, kid," Chopper said splitting off. "Turning to engage."

"The Kestrel takes top priority," the port captain announced over the radio. "Move that barge over there! That carrier is more valuable than that bucket of bolts!" The three Wardog planes, in addition to Snow arched into the sky to dogfight with the attacker aircraft.

"Swordsman, fox two!" A burst of flame in the distance confirmed a kill on an enemy attacker. "Got them."

"_More bogey's inbound from vector 280. It's no use, there's too many of them."_

'_Like hell,'_ Blaze grumbled as he downed another attacker with his guns and turned to head west.

This time when he and Chopper engaged the incoming fighters there were MiG-23 Flogger fighter aircraft mixed in with the Fencers. "The _Kestrel_ is in open waters," a sailor reported. "Bon voyage guys." The three Wardog F-5s flew straight into the enemy formation and engaged them outside the port exit.

"_Wardog, don't take your eyes off the Kestrel."_ Nagase downed two more planes and Chopper bagged two as the Kestrel passed under the bridge.

"Opening Phalanx fire!" An operator on the _Kestrel _called out. One of the four 20mm Phalanx cannons on the carrier opened up on a pair of Fencers rushing towards the bow of the ship. The radar controlled anti-aircraft cannon threw out hundreds of 20mm shells like a wall of steel. And that wall of steel knocked the Yuke attack planes out of the sky in balls of fire.

Blaze lined up behind the last Flogger skimming over the water and sent it hurtling through the air and into the waves. What the pilots saw next was horrific.

"Those…those are people floating in the waves," Nagase moaned. And sure enough they were. Sailors who had abandoned their sinking ships were covered in flames when the plane crashed into the ocean. Blaze made the mistake of looking. Seeing their flesh being cooked by the intense heat sent vivid memories of his parents' deaths through his eyes. He began hyperventilating as he climbed back up to his wingmen.

XXXXX

Minutes later, as the Kestrel took to the open sea; Blaze was still trying to calm himself down. "Kid, did you see that?" Chopper asked him. But Blaze didn't hear him. He was still breathing heavily and calming his nerves. "Come on, say somthin', kid."

"Please, Blaze," Nagase begged. "Don't lock up on us; not now."

"R-right, break and engage the enemy at will," Blaze said snapping back to reality. He rolled and dove to take out a MiG-27 attack plane that had just barely missed bombing the Kestrel.

"_Blaze, the enemy has set up a naval blockade ahead of the Kestrel. Escort it to safer waters."_

"Roger that," Blaze responded. "Wardog, engage the ships. Use your bombs and send them to the bottom."

"I'm on it, Blaze," Nagase said as she turned to attack a frigate. Blaze followed after her and attacked another frigate. Chopper hit another on the opposite flank. All three ships were hit along the water line with two 500 lbs bombs from each of the Wardog fighters and began sinking rapidly as fires broke out on their decks.

"Targeting enemy cruiser," an Osean ship called out as it fired a Harpoon missile at a Yuke cruiser that was about to block the Kestrel's path. The missile slammed into the superstructure and crippled the vessel.

"Kid, there's an aircraft targeting the carrier from beyond the horizon!" Chopper called out. He was right; there were two of them approaching the fleet, fast.

"I've only got one missile left," Blaze called out. "How are you guys doing?"

"I've got two left," Chopper answered.

"I've got one left too," Nagase replied.

"Okay, Chopper, you go take care of those missile platforms," Blaze ordered. "We'll cover you."

"Roger." Nagase and Blaze formed up behind Chopper as they raced towards two TU-22K anti-ship bombers. Chopper turned to take them out as a pair of MiG-23's dove from above to protect the bombers.

"Incoming fighters," Blaze called out. "Twelve o'clock high. Let's go get them Nagase."

"One bomber down!" Chopper called out as Blaze and Nagase distracted the enemy fighters.

"Edge, fox two!" She fired her last sidewinder and took the fighter out. "That's a kill!" Blaze lined up behind his target and pulverized it with his cannons as it tried to break away. Instead it was sent into a flat spin towards the sea below. "Blaze, watch out!" He looked up to see a third MiG fly out of the clouds and engage him. He rolled to avoid a missile that streaked past his cockpit.

"Holy shit, that was close," Blaze cursed. He then put his plane into a ninety degree dive for the deck.

"Blaze what're you doing?" Nagase called out to him. "Pull up!" Blaze waited until the last second before flipping his plane over and pulling up and to the right. His bandit had to break hard as he tried to follow after but overshot the turn. At just over one hundred feet off the deck, Blaze still had speed while the bandit dropped down in front of him and had bled off to much speed. It was a sitting duck.

"Blaze, fox two!" He fired his last missile and it streaked towards the target. The pilot hit his afterburners and pulled up to try and escape but it was too late. The missile hit him in the aft, but surprisingly it didn't fall. It continued flying for a half-mile and climbed nearly one hundred feet before it finally succumbed to its wounds and toppled into the ocean.

"Nice kill, Blaze!" Nagase cried out with amazement.

"_The Kestrel has made it through the blockade,"_ Thunderhead reported as the flight rejoined. Chopper had bagged the last bomber while Blaze was in the dive. _"Wardog, RTB."_

They formed up over the Kestrel and turned south for home. "So Blaze, does it feel good to be the flight lead?" Chopper asked as he turned to join them. Blaze thought back to the people in the waves. The plane he shot down was what caused it. He caused it. It was his fault they died the way they did.

"N-not really," Blaze groaned as he unsnapped his mask.

"Relax, kid, you've got us watching your back."

'_That's right, Blaze,'_ Nagase swore to herself. _'I'll always fly on your wing. No matter what.'_


	7. Chapter 7

CH. 7: AIR RAID

-27 Sept. 2010

When they landed Captain Bartlett was MIA. The rescue copter didn't find the forty-two year old pilot. They only saw the retreating enemy spy vessel and it was assumed that he had been captured. When they returned from St. Hewlett the three Wardog pilots were questioned by Perault. He went easy on Chopper and Nagase but was not subtle in his suspicion of the captain. However, Blaze was not so fortunate. "Captain Jack Bartlett is not a spy, if that's what your insinuating, sir," Blaze rose to the defense of his mentor.

"Maybe," Perault snapped. "But in case you haven't noticed, we're at war."

"This is supposed to be news to me?" Blaze asked rhetorically.

"Watch it mister, Lt. Colonel Ford is flying down from the mainland."

'_Oh great, Ford.'_ Ford was another one of those bureaucratic racists who treated Blaze like elephant shit. Much like Perault.

"It seems that he's agreed to a promotion for you," Perault sneered. "Second Lieutenant Beagle and the AWACS crew seem to hold you in good regards, too. I can't imagine why," he just had to put in that blow much to Nagase's disgust. "Since you commanded the squadron in battle with average skill it seems appropriate to give you the rank of First Lieutenant." He picked up a small black box and tossed it at Blaze like it was something vile. "Now get out of here. Dismissed." The three of them turned and exited the office.

'_That fat ass wipe,'_ Blaze grumbled to himself as Nagase helped him fit the silver bars to his shoulders in the lounge. "I'm probably going to be put behind a desk when Ford arrives."

"I hope not," Nagase said as she handed him his old gold bars, "Sir."

"Don't call me that," Blaze moaned. "I don't feel like celebrating. In fact I don't feel like a leader at all." Nagase pulled up a folding chair and sat in front of him.

"What's wrong?" She asked, concerned for his well being.

"Forget it, it-it's nothing," he tried to shrug it off. It didn't work.

"Don't give me that macho crap, Blaze," Nagase scolded. "What's wrong?" He let out a sigh in frustration.

"Well…when I saw…those flames on the gulf…" he looked out the window. "It reminded me of…the night my folks died."

"Oh."

"I'm not afraid of fire. It's just that…it was the plane I shot down that did it."

"It wasn't your fault, Blaze." Nagase assured him. "Don't think about it too hard. We need you up there. You did real good today, Blaze. I'm proud to be your wingman. I wouldn't have it any other way." He looked back at her and smiled.

"Thanks, Edge," he said patting her on the head. "I feel better now." He really did. He was still getting used to the whole squadron leader thing but the encouragement from her was what he needed. The alarms that blared an hour later were not.

XXXXX

As the air raid sirens blared and red strobes flashed Blaze comically stumbled out of his room in grey sweats as he tried to strap his boots on. Nagase ran out of her room down the hall from him pulling on her OD trousers in addition to her white tank top. "Come on, Blaze!" She shouted as she jumped over him. "Quit playing around!"

"Yes, dear!" He shouted after her as he got to his feet. "Hold your horses!" They pulled their G-suits over their casual clothing before grabbing their helmets and rushing to their parked jets. As they did so they noticed Chopper was the only one of them actually _in_ his flight suit. "Mount up!" He ordered them. "Skip standard procedures; just spin up your engines and get airborne!" Enemy fighter aircraft were already dancing with the current CAP in the skies above them.

"The turbines won't start up," Chopper bitched in the plane in the front. "Come on, come on, come on, come on!" Finally his plane started to roll out followed by Nagase's and then Blazes. The allied planes continued to fight the enemy and were losing. Blaze looked over to see an allied plane crash into jets parked next to the hanger. "WHOA!"

"Holy shit!" Blaze swore as he saw a chunk of shrapnel fly just above his cockpit as they taxied to the runway. More shrapnel bounced off his bird and he prayed nothing would get sucked into either of the engines.

"The Captain's spare plane is still in the hanger," Nagase remembered.

"Leave it," Pops said as he brought his plane out of the hanger. "Once you're airborne get as much altitude as you can. Don't let them bounce you from above." Nagase and Chopper both took off at the same time while Blaze positioned himself on the runway.

"Blaze scramble," the tower ordered as Blaze punched the afterburners. His jet raced down the runway and took to the air just as the enemy fighters turned back around. It was then that Blaze realized that they were the only friendlies in the air.

"Split up," he ordered, "Take it to them."

"Roger!" Nagase responded. For a split second Blaze pictured Nagase sitting in the cockpit in her tank top and the straps of her g-suit and seat hugging her frame tightly. He shook the image out of his head and entered the fray.

"I see you managed to make it up," Pops observed as he taxied to the runway. "Is your plane alright?"

"Aside from a marred paint job she's purrin' like a kitten," Blaze responded as he down a MiG with his cannons.

"I see. I guess keeping it in good standing has paid off for ya," Pops bragged to no one in particular.

He turned hard to engage the MiG-23 closest to him. The sky was littered with MiG-23's, 27's and even Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers. "Enemy bombers approaching the base," Nagase called out.

"Shoot them down!" Blaze ordered. "If they knock out the base we're finished!" He and Nagase turned to chase down the bombers while Chopper covered them. They raced past the bombers as they exploded from missile strikes. The two pilots turned in opposite directions to select other targets.

"This is Wardog Leader," a new voice called out, "Lt. Col. Ford. What's your current status?"

"Heh, here comes his highness from the mainland now," Chopper chuckled.

"We under attack and stretched thin, sir," Blaze responded as he maneuvered behind a bandit.

"I trust you can hold the runway until we arrive?" Ford inquired with skepticism.

"We'll give them hell, sir," Blaze responded as he sent the MiG to a fiery grave.

"Right, protect it at all costs," Ford said though he didn't really have to.

"Use the water to put out the fire!" A base officer ordered over the radio. "Keep it away from the ammo dump!"

"Bomber down!" Chopper called out as he shot down another Backfire.

"Bandit in gun range!" Nagase called out as she fired into an SU-25 Frogfoot attack plane ripping its starboard wing off. "Pops is taking off," she said as she passed the runway.

"Look at the hanger!" Chopper called out. Blaze looked to see a lone F-5 pull out of the last intact hanger. It was Bartlett's spare plane. "Who the heck pulled that out?"

"This is Grimm," an adolescent voice replied. Down in the Captain's spare plane a nineteen year old rookie trainee in greasy coveralls and helmet taxied the plane down the flight line. "I was in the hanger helping out the mechanics. I'm taking off."

"The hell you are, you're not even out of replacement training yet," Chopper argued. "Isn't there anyone else around?"

"I didn't see anyone."

"There's no choice," Blaze argued.

"He's right," Nagase agreed. "Be careful, Grimm. I'll cover you."

"More bandits inbound!" Blaze called out. "Chopper, follow me, we're going to cut them off! Edge, cover Grimm."

"Roger,"/"Affirmative," both of them answered in synch. Blaze and Chopper turned right into a flight of MiG-29's that joined the attack. Blaze downed one with his guns immediately as Chopper blasted one with a sidewinder.

"Alright I'm airborne," Grimm said when his plane took to the air. "This is Airman First Class Grimm, callsign Archer. I'll be joining the Wardog Squadron."

"Stay alert, Grimm," Blaze ordered. "Don't hesitate to call for help if you need it."

"Roger," Grimm replied. Nagase and Blaze paired up to go after another fighter while Chopper led Grimm after another.

"Blaze, fox two!" A sidewinder blazed through the air and consumed the target in a ball of flames.

"Archer, fox two!" Grimm fired his first shot of the war and it was dead on; the missile impacted in the aft area of the MiG and sent it toppling downward.

"The Lt. Col. is on radar," Nagase announced as his plane approached Sand Island from the north.

"This is Wardog Leader. Sand Island, I'm out of fuel. Request clearance to land," Ford said hiding the 'request' as an 'order'.

"Negative," the tower responded. "We're still under attack!"

"Wardog Squadron, cover me while I land," Ford spoke up as if he didn't here the last transmission.

"What are you insane?" Chopper screamed over the radio. More bandits were coming in hot.

"Second Lieutenant Davenport, is that you?" Chopper replied 'yes, sir'. "I'll be sure to right you up after I la-." He didn't hear the warning from Blaze or his cockpit about the missile. He was too busy being a bureaucratic jarhead. Blaze saw the ball of flame that indicated Ford was dead.

"The Lt. Colonel's gone down!" Chopper declared.

"Split formation," Blaze ordered, "take the bandits head on!"

"More bombers incoming!" The tower cried out to the squadron as they broke up to fight the four MiG-29's and two TU-95 Bears.

"Chopper, Grimm, you guys deal with the bombers," Blaze ordered.

"Roger."

"Nagase, it's time we earned our pay, buddy," Blaze said as he led her around to engage the fighters.

"Right behind you, Blaze," Nagase confirmed.

"Sorry you had to get paired with me, Grimm," Chopper chuckled to the new guy. "I'm a hard guy to fly with."

"Yes he is." Blaze agreed.

"Edge, fox two!" She downed another fighter as the three others circled around. "I've got two missiles left!"

"I'm down to one," Blaze said. "There they go!" He called out. "They passed beneath us along the starboard side. Go get them, Nagase, I'll cover you."

"Right," she complied as she dove after the bandits. They lined up behind one as she took a lock on it. "Hard lock! Fox two!" She fired a sidewinder but the enemy pilot shook it off. "Damnit!"

"Forget it, Nagase," Blaze said to her. "Don't let him go." He turned to see the other two MiG's circling around to get behind him.

"I'm on him, Fox two!" This time her missile took the plane down.

"Break right!" Blaze said as he pulled them both into a turn to maneuver around one of the MiGs. "Got him," he took position behind the MiG and locked on. "Goodnight." He dumped his last missile which transformed the fighter into a ball of flame.

"One bandit left," Nagase called out. "Blaze!" She cried as she saw the plane dive down on him, guns blazing. Blaze felt his plane shudder as 30mm bullets hit his plane.

"I'm hit! I'm hit!" He called out as his port engine began to fail. "Port engine is gone!" He shut it down as he fought to control his plane. The rudder peddles were vibrating a bit; he must've took a hit to his tail. "Get him, Nagase!"

"I'm already on him!" She said as she chased after his attacker. _'You're going to regret that,'_ Nagase growled to herself as she fired her guns into the cockpit of the last fighter. "Bandit down."

"Chopper, Grimm," Blaze called out to them. "Report."

"The bombers are down," Chopper replied as they formed back up. "Grimm nailed one good."

"All bombers confirmed destroyed," the Tower called out. "The other aircraft are withdrawing."

"Was my flying alright?" Grimm asked nervously as the flight entered the approach pattern.

"Not bad at all, Grimm," Blaze replied. "I think I'll keep ya around."

"Thank you," Grimm chuckled.

"Let's get a welcoming party going!" Someone in the tower cheered.

"Better put that on hold," Blaze said. "My rudder is acting funky." He looked back to observe his plane. "Yeah, it's tore up good. And I'm flying on fifty percent power." He checked his gauges. "And the hydraulics aren't looking hot on the port wheel. Sand Island, I'm declaring an emergency."

"Take it easy, Blaze," Nagase said flying ahead and above him. "I'll guide you in. Ease it down."

"Got it," he made his turns and other movements slow and deliberate. "Lowering gear, I just hope that wheel stays on." All three wheels came down and Chopper passed under Blaze. The plane began shuddering some with the increased drag and burden on the remaining starboard engine.

"You're looking good, kid," the loud mouth called out. "Just hang in there." Blaze lowered his speed as Nagase led him to the runway.

"Now, set it down gently, Blaze," she coaxed him. "Don't take any chances with that wheel."

"Good idea," Blaze replied sarcastically. His plane kept trying to snake from side to side and was still vibrating like a Jack Russell Terrier on speed. But he managed to guide her down to the ground.

In fact he barely felt the ground meet rubber when he touched down. He deployed the emergency chute and slowed to a halt as emergency crews raced out to his plane. They made sure the gears were okay and the tractor pulled his plane into the surviving hanger. The other pilots landed without a hitch. "Whew," Blaze said meeting up with them outside the hanger. He looked over the group.

Chopper was the only one in his flight suit while the others wore either casual clothing or dirty coveralls. Grimm was wearing light blue coveralls with oil grease and muck smeared on it. Blaze was in his light gray sweat pants, leather jacket and looking very unkempt with his black issue boots over the sweats. He had to keep himself from staring at Nagase. She had sweated a lot during the engagement and now her tank top stuck to her well endowed and unobjectionable chest. Although she still had a sports bra on, her sweaty attire left little to the imagination. As he turned to lead them back inside he finally spoke up, "What a weird day."


	8. Chapter 8

CH. 8: DEATH FROM ABOVE

-28 Sept. 2010

After the near disastrous air attack on Sand Island the Yukes pulled back their forces but continued to launch air raids. But all these were outside the Sand Island defense zone. Plus the Sand Island pilots had more to worry about. Blaze's plane, damaged in the fight above the base, seemed to have been held together by a miracle until he landed. Now the plane was scrapped and had to be replaced entirely since the bases entire supply of spare parts was destroyed in the raid. That left only three fully functional fighters left at the base.

Luckily, Captain Hamilton was able to pull a few strings and get the squadron some new planes. Four F-16C Falcons along with all the armaments and replacement parts they needed were being delivered that afternoon. After a quick try out flight in the planes the pilots would go back to sitting alert. But now, with their defensive capabilities limited to a handful of missiles and their guns, the pilots were sitting on the ground as repair crews fixed up the damage to the base.

Blaze found Nagase in the crew lounge in her usual spot on the sofa. Once again, she was by herself and still in her trousers and tank. As he got himself a cup of coffee Blaze spotted Genette with his camera filming the room. Genette zoomed in on Nagase as Blaze walked across the room with his mug in his hand. He sat down in his chair to watch the news reports covering the sudden air and naval attacks launched by Yuktobania. Every once and a while he would glance over to Nagase. Even in the light cast by the mid morning sun she looked absolutely gorgeous.

Nagase also snuck glances at Blaze when he wasn't looking. The scar on his neck ran from the middle down to below his collar in a long ragged upside down triangle. His face was clean shaven and his hair was kept nice and trimmed. He hadn't been in the squadron for a week and he was already their acting Captain and flight leader. With the death of Lt. Col. Ford it looked like Blaze would surely get command along with another promotion to Captain in a few days.

XXXXX

Later that day, as Pops was looking over the new planes, Perault tried everything he could to dump Blaze. He had called Nagase, Chopper and Grimm in to see if he could get them to agree to pick a replacement for Blaze as squadron Captain. But they did not fall for the ruse. They stood by Blaze and vouched for him. Even Hamilton agreed with them. Nagase said that she was sure Captain Bartlett would also say the same thing.

"Hpmh," the fat geezer grunted. "Fine, I'll put in a written request, but I doubt it'll come to anything. Dismissed."

"Geez, what a moron," Chopper said as they cleared the office. "He just doesn't like Kid at all so he's just going to use every opportunity he can to discredit him."

"Yeah," Nagase agreed. "We'll need to watch Blaze's back. The Commander will just be looking for an excuse to stab him in the back and kick him out."

"I agree," Chopper nodded. "We should cover his ass."

"Uh, is that a good idea?" Grimm asked nervously. "I mean, I agree with you guys on Lt. Ingram being Captain, but what you're talking about could be seen as insubordination, or even mutiny!"

"That's why we gotta be careful," Nagase said firmly. "And discreet. Like Captain Bartlett said: 'In my squadron, we take care of our own'. And I, for one, wouldn't want to fly with any other Captain than Blaze right now. If they dump him, they'll have to dump me."

"Wow, Nagase," Chopper jabbed her in the shoulder. "You've really got the hots for him huh?"

"Ugh," Nagase groaned as she walked away. Grimm watched her walk away and looked back to Chopper, absolutely confused by what he meant by that.

XXXXX

-30 Sept. 2010

It was a good thing Yuktobania missed all the Osean aircraft carriers on the west coast. The Vulture, Buzzard and the Kestrel would rendezvous in the inland sea at Eaglin Straits. "Who the hell came up with the name 'Operation: Whalebird'?" Chopper asked as the briefing ended.

"Quit bitchin'," Blaze snapped as he moved from the podium. "And don't ask me. I wouldn't have a clue." They suited up and headed for their planes. The F-16 was not much larger than the F-5s they previously flew but they were a much needed improvement over the obsolete Tiger. The previous year the aging but still venerable Falcon had become the rear echelon support fighter of choice for the Osean Air Force. And Wardog was finally getting their own.

Chopper thought the mission was going to be a walk in the clouds. He called it the easiest mission in the world. He really should've kept his big mouth shut. "Hey, what is that?" Chopper spoke up when his radar picked up three unidentified aircraft. "Is my radar on the fritz?"

"Not likely," Blaze responded. "Those are Yak-38 attack planes! Split up, weapons free! Keep them away from the carriers!" They broke up and climbed to engage the bandits.

"_Enemy approaching!"_ Thunderhead called over the radio. _"All aircraft return to your patrol sectors! Repeat…!"_

"Edge, fox two!" Nagase started the fight with a sidewinder that split a Forger in two.

"Yo, Kid," Chopper called out as Blaze took the second plane out with his guns.

"You have to start calling him 'Captain'," Grimm reminded him.

"I know!" Chopper snapped. "We've got more bandits coming in from the west. They look like MiG-29K's!"

"_More bandits inbound, vector 080 degrees,"_ Thunderhead added.

'_What the hell's going on?' _"Chopper, Grimm, you guys take care of the western defense zone!" Blaze ordered. They were the only squadron in the air at the moment and would have to play hard defense. "Leave the east to me and Nagase."

"Roger, Captain," Chopper replied. "Splitting off." The flight broke into two pairs as they raced to meet the attackers in both areas.

"I don't like this Blaze," Nagase said as the two of them engaged MiG-39K's that were already over the inland sea.

"Neither do I," he replied as they both bagged MiGs. "These planes don't have the fuel capacity to make it _this _far. How the hell did they get here?"

"I'm airborne," Lieutenant Snow called out as he shot off the Kestrel's deck.

"Lt. Snow," Anderson, Captain of the Kestrel, called out. "You're responsible for the air defense effort."

"Roger, Captain. Wardog, there are more bandits inbound from the east."

"I see them," Blaze called out. "It looks like they're…"

"_Heads up,"_ Thunderhead chimed in. _"They're carrying long range anti-ship missiles!"_

"Damnit. Turn and burn Nagase!" The two of them pulled a one eighty degree turn to head off the attackers, three Su-24E attack planes.

"All Air Force planes," Snow called out, "leave the western sector to us."

"Chopper, fox two," Chopper engaged a MiG that had just buzzed past the Vulture. "Bandit down!"

"Phalanx fire!" The Vulture opened up on three anti-ship missiles approached her. Two were hit by the wall of steel thrown out at them while the third hit the forward flight deck. "We're hit! We're hit!"

"Has the Kestrel arrived yet?" The radioman of the Buzzard called out.

"Not yet," the Kestrel replied. "We're three miles from the rendezvous point."

"Captain," Grimm called out. "What's your current status?"

"We could use a little help here," Blaze responded. Two of the Fencers had been shot down but one remained while three MiGs and a pair of Yaks engaged him and Nagase. "Nagase, there's a bandit on your six! Break!" She dove just as the Fulcrum opened up with its 30mm cannon.

"I shook him off," Nagase said as she pulled extreme G's to get behind her attacker.

"Archer, fox two!" Grimm fired on the Yak that was hounding Blaze's tail "You're clear, Captain."

"Watch it, Grimm!" Chopper called out as a MiG dove onto him.

"I got him, Grimm," Blaze called out to him. "Bring him left and turn hard right."

"Left and…RIGHT!" Grimm did as he was told and had brought the bandit right into the pip for Blaze's Vulcan cannon.

"Bandit down!" Blaze called out as smoke trailed from the MiG.

"Edge, fox two!" Nagase dispatched her bandit with a missile. "Target hit."

"I'm going after that attack plane," Chopper said.

"Chopper there's a Yak on your tail!" Blaze warned him.

"Nagase, get him off me!" Chopper said as he continued after the Fencer.

"Get him, Edge," Blaze encouraged her. "Get him!"

"I'm on it!" She cried out as she dove after Chopper.

"Captain, your six!" Grimm warned him as the last MiG pursued Blaze. Blaze rolled and banked to avoid the gunfire.

'_This guy's good,'_ Blaze admitted to himself. He then pulled into a steep climb, the MiG followed. Blaze did a backward flip over his tail and fired ten 20mm shells into the MiG as it shot upward past him, bursting its fuel tanks into flame. _'But not too good.'_ (A/N: If you've seen _Stealth_ you've seen 'Tinman' pull a similar move against a Su-37.)

"Nice kill, Captain," Grimm cheered him on.

"You're clear, Chopper," Nagase said as she tore the wing off the Yak with her cannon.

"Chopper, engaging," he blew up from the inside the last plane in the area up by sending a sidewinder straight up its exhaust pipe. "Woohoo! Bandit down!"

"_The enemy is withdrawing,"_ Thunderhead reported. _"Mission accomplished."_

'_Something's not right here,'_ Blaze's sixth sense was telling him that something bad was about to happen.

That's when the shit hit the fan. "Ballistic missile incoming!" Someone on the Vulture cried out. Seconds later a series of explosions ripped through the air at 5,000 feet. A split second later a whole squadron of navy fighters burst into flames and the Vulture began to sink. "The carrier's hit!" The same sailor cried out. "She's sinking!"

"Someone!" Nagase called out. "Anyone…What's happening?"

"What the hell happened?" Blaze chimed in as a destroyer capsized from the shockwave. "The Buzzard is heavily damaged!"

"I don't know," Snow replied. "Everything below five thousand feet was just annihilated!"

"There goes another ship!" Someone on the Kestrel called out as a frigate succumb to its own wounds and exploded.

"_Warning! There's a second ballistic missile incoming! Ten seconds to impact!"_

"Damnit!" Snow cursed. "Climb Wardog! Get above five thousand feet!"

"Do as he says!" Blaze ordered as he pulled straight up and hit the afterburners.

"Roger!" Grimm replied. "I'll follow you Captain." The five planes, four F-16s and Snow's F-14 climbed fast as the missile detonated. They had cleared 5,000 feet with only one second to spare.

"Shit!" Blaze swore out loud. "There goes the Buzzard!" And sure enough the said carrier broke in two halfway and both halves began to slip beneath the waves.

"This is the Kestrel," the sole surviving ship from the entire fleet, aside from an intelligence vessel, called out, "All surviving aircraft, respond." Those ships survived through luck because they were only one minute behind their rendezvous schedule and barely outside the blast radius of the missiles.

"This is Swordsman. My plane's alright. Looks like the Wardog Squad made it too."

"Barely," Blaze added. "We're on bingo profile," he commented on their low fuel status. "Thunderhead, we need fuel, _now_." He leveled his flight off at seven thousand in case a third missile was launched, none was.

"Two aircraft carriers lost," Grimm commented as they flew over the shallow water disaster site. "I can't believe this is all that's left of our force."

"_Wardog. We can't get a tanker over to you. Proceed northeast to Heirlark to land and refuel."_

"Hey, Kid!" Chopper yelled out.

"You really should start calling him, 'Captain'," Grimm advised.

"Forget it," Chopper yapped back. "If he's a Captain then I expecting him to start trash talking like a Captain. Man, I'm missing that voice real bad now."

"Shut you trap, Motormouth!" Blaze shot out at him.

"He's gotten us back alive from battle twice," Grimm commented. "As far as I'm concerned, he's our Captain now."

"That's right," Nagase concurred. "And I'll never lose my lead plane again. No matter what."

"Thanks, Nagase," Blaze said to her as they turned to the northeast. "I'm glad I've got you watching my back."

'_Always, Blaze,'_ Nagase swore to herself. _'I'll always have your back.'_


	9. Chapter 9

CH. 9: HEIRLARK

-30 Sept. 2010

The Heirlark Air Force Flight Academy, also know as The Ice Box, sat not far from the arctic Aurick Bay. This was where the Osean Air Force trained its fighter pilots along with its tropical cousin Sand Island. It sat in the former state of South Belka. In fact, it wasn't too far from Webster, where Blaze was born. When they landed the four Sand Island pilots didn't know that a certain news article had beaten them there.

Blaze was the first to spot it pinned to a peg board outside the class lounge. "Oh, boy," he whispered to Nagase. He pointed her to the article written by Genette.

"The Four Wings of Sand Island," it read. The picture for it was appropriately comical. Chopper was front and center with Grimm in a head lock as he flexed his right arm.

'_Typical cockiness for Chopper,'_ Blaze commented. Blaze's head was totally obscured by Chopper's elbow in the picture and Nagase was off to side giving the Chopper pose a death glare. "Chopper's not going to shut up for a while." And he didn't. The moment they set foot in the lounge they were assaulted by a human wave of eager cadets.

"And here he is young aviators!" Chopper announced like some ridiculous game show host. If he weren't flying jets Blaze could easily picture Chopper doing exactly that; he was perfect for the job. "Our brave baby Captain!"

"Don't pay attention to what he says, nuggets," Blaze barked as he leaned up against the hearth behind Grimm. "He shoots his mouth off more than his missiles." The cadets chuckled at that and even Nagase allowed herself a grin as she stood on the opposite side of the hearth.

"So anyway," Chopper continued whatever story he had going. "Kid here just swoops in and takes the bandit down!" He chuckled as the flashed Nagase a toothy grin. "He's always got his eye on her, you know."

'_Oh, Jesus,'_ Blaze shook his head as he looked over at Nagase who held her head low.

"Then, out of nowhere another bandit pops up behind him and fires a missile!" Chopper continued. "But Kid is not to be taken lightly, man. He does this crazy ass roll skimming the bandit's cockpit and blows him right out of the sky! I swear man; he had to be close enough to tell the pilot's shoe size!"

'_I'm outta here,'_ Blaze said to himself as he headed for the coffee stand. Nagase followed him.

"He's enjoying this a little too much," Nagase said joining him at a table.

"How can you tell?" He sipped at his coffee.

"And there's another thing!" Chopper yelled out pointing at him. "Kid, every time I see you you've got a cup of coffee in your hand! What's up with that man?" The cadets chuckled as they eyeballed him.

"I think I already mentioned this to Nagase," Blaze responded. "I've got JP-5 grade caffeine running through my veins. How else do you explain my expert flying?" The cadets laughed as Blaze returned the flak.

"Oh, yeah," Chopper added, "He and his honey bun wingman are always hanging out."

'_Give it a rest, Chop,'_ Blaze groaned as he threw his head back in exasperation. Nagase rubbed her head in her palms in embarrassment. She also did this to hide her _very_ noticeable blush.

"Well look who we have here," a deep and unnerving voice startled Nagase from behind her. "If it isn't Bartlett's gift to military aviation." Blaze raised his head and saw one of his old instructors, the ones who would've thrown him to the curb if Bartlett hadn't stepped in.

"Hello, Duke," Blaze replied. "I don't suppose you'd want to grab a seat?"

"No thanks, Lieutenant," Captain Eric Duke replied. He was a big and dark guy with a very scary voice. Nagase was instantly uncomfortable, feeling a creepy and primal fear grip her. "And it's Captain Duke to you." Now Nagase really started to dislike him.

"Actually I'll have to correct you on something," Blaze said pulling a fax sheet from his pocket. He handed it to Nagase. "I was given this when we landed; I was going to save it for a surprise when we got back to base. But…" Nagase opened it and was just starting to read it when Duke snatched it from her.

"I'll take that darling," Duke chuckled at her making her skin crawl. That creepy, beneath the skin vibe just got worse. "What the hell?" This drew the attention of Chopper and Grimm, along with the cadets. "'Captain'?"

"That's right," Blaze grinned. "You don't out rank me anymore, _Duke_." He turned back to Nagase. "My bars will be waiting for me when we get back to Sand Island. I bet old Perault is having a nervous breakdown."

"Congratulations, Blaze," Nagase patted him on the shoulder.

"But, no saluting every time I enter a room." Blaze grinned heartily.

"Well damn it all," Duke shouted as grumbled the fax up and dropped in onto the table. "I hope your happy, you Belkan punk. Why don't you just take your mail order stripper here in the closet already?" Wrong thing to say with Nagase's three wingmen in the same room. Blaze rose up as Chopper marched over pulling Grimm with him.

"Look tough, junior," Chopper whispered to Grimm. He folded his arms as he and Blaze gave Duke death glares. The timid Grimm did his best to look mean as he stood behind Chopper.

"You're gonna want to leave this room right now, _Captain_ Duke," Blaze growled as anger burned in his eyes like the fires of hell.

"Yeah," Duke may have been a bouncer before he joined the Air Force, but he knew that Blaze was a tough fighter on the ground as well as in the air. And with the muscular Chopper there as well he didn't let his ego get in the way. He marched out of the lounge but not before ordering the cadets back to their quarters.

"What an asshole," Blaze said before he waved Grimm and Chopper to sit down. "You okay, Nagase?"

"Yeah," she whispered. Duke's comments to her were not anything new; she had run into many sexist officers, including Perault. But comments like the one Duke made still hurt.

"The bastard is just that, a bastard." Blaze said rubbing her shoulder as he sat down. "I wouldn't expect any self-respecting woman like you to feel any pity or friendliness with that jerk."

"No argument here, man," Chopper agreed. "Sure I may tease Nagase sometimes, but it's just that. I don't really mean it."

"Thanks…you guys," Nagase said as she reached for her coffee but instead pounded the table. "I just…hate it when men treat me like some kind of sex object!"

"Well I guess you and me have something in common," Blaze said.

"Men see you as a sex object, Blaze?" Chopper gasped. "You're not gay are you?"

"You're an idiot!" Blaze shot back causing chopper to recoil. "I'm saying some officer's treat both me and Nagase like shit on a stick. With her it's because she doesn't have a 'Y' Chromosome. With me it's because I inherited my father's Belkan ancestry."

"Oh…" Chopper said as he realized his folly. His face turned as red as an apple as he stood up. "I'm, uh, just gonna go find a place to, uh, crash for the night. Yeeaaah. Come on, Grimm." Hans Grimm shook his head as he stood up to follow Chopper.

"Not the sharpest tool in the shed is he?" Nagase said as she started to relax a little.

"No," Blaze agreed. "He's not."

'_Blaze is right,'_ Nagase said as she watched him sip his coffee. _'We do have that in common. We've both experienced hostility in our careers.'_ She continued to watch him read the newspaper article and sip his coffee. As she did so she began to feel her heart pace quicken and the temperature in her chest rise. Had she found a kindred spirit in Blaze? A man she'd know for only a week? She didn't know it then, but her relationship with Captain Hannibal "Blaze" Ingram was only just beginning.

XXXXX

Chopper and Grimm crashed in the food court adjacent to the lounge while Blaze slumped sideways in a lounge chair and Nagase plopped down on a sofa. Nagase had a fitful time trying to sleep. No matter what position she was in she just couldn't fall asleep. She sat up on the sofa and rubbed her face in her hands. _'What's wrong?'_ She asked herself. _'Why can't I sleep?'_ She looked at the clock, 0005 hours. It was well past midnight and she still wasn't asleep.

She then heard soft snoring to her right. She looked over and saw Blaze in a comical position lying across the lounge chair. She had never seen him sleep before and realized that, despite his slightly gruff and cynical nature and his aggressive behavior in the cockpit, he looked so serene when he slept. Absolutely peaceful. He curled up in his arms as he tried to stay warm since his wool blanket had fallen to the floor.

Nagase stood up and covered him back up with the blanket and made sure it wouldn't fall off again. "Uh," he whispered in his sleep. "Mom…dad…" tears began to form in his eyes as he no doubt recalled his tragic past. Nagase gently wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"Shh," she whispered softly in his ear. "You're a fighter pilot and you're flying at ten thousand feet, completely free. Just like a bird." She recalled their conversation on the flight line the other day. She spoke softly to get his mind focused on something more pleasurable. "Shh." The tears stopped as a small smile appeared on his face. "You're free as a bird, Blaze." She gently brushed his hair as his breathing slowed. She then let out a yawn as she stood back up. She pulled another chair against his and leaned back in it, covering herself with her blanket. She was asleep within seconds.

XXXXX

-31 Sept. 2010

The next morning Blaze woke up to find the face of an angel on Earth just inches from his own. She was still asleep. _'God she's so beautiful,'_ Blaze said to himself as her listened to her soft breathing. Her lips were so close to his and slightly parted that he could barely resist the urge to explore them. Instead he moved slowly to get up. As he did so she moved in her chair and her blanket fell away, giving a partial view down her tank top for Blaze. _'Oh, great,'_ Blaze said to himself. _'Now I'm hooked on her again.'_ This time he couldn't help but gently brush her hair out of her face and behind her ears.

As he did so Nagase slowly woke up and opened her eyes. Blaze quickly recalled his hand and looked away. "I, uh," he started to blush as she sat up. "I wasn't…uh. Sorry to wake you."

"No, you didn't," Nagase said as she gathered her composure. "I, uh," she was nervous with the situation as well. "Er, hmm. We've got to take the nuggets back to Sand Island, don't we?" So she decided to change the subject.

"Yeah," he went along with it gladly. "It's going to be a pain in the ass though. They haven't practiced in flight refueling so first we'll have to stop at Henderson Naval Air Station, then at Jackson City Air Base and then McNealy before we can get back to Sand Island. Damn."

"Yeah."

XXXXX

-03 Oct. 2010

And it was. The nuggets were barely able to fly their F-5s on each leg. Chopper made the comment that the four experienced aviators could lord their better training under Bartlett and Pops over all the nuggets. Blaze considered that as an understatement in the first degree. He was actually afraid to send these nuggets into combat when they hadn't even finished _half _of their training. The only reason Chopper, Edge and Grimm had done so good was that they were already down at Sand Island learning advanced tactics. Chopper and Nagase were at the top of their class and Grimm was a promising replacement pilot who was working with the mechanics at the time.

But, he studied well and Blaze was eager to pin fresh gold bars on his collar. The promotion to Second Lieutenant was mostly ceremonial but Blaze believed that Archer deserved it and had earned it in spades.

The squadron hop scotched from Heirlark to Henderson. They rested for the night at Henderson before continuing onto Jackson City and then McNealy. When they arrived several of the nuggets planes as well as Blaze's plane had to be serviced overnight by ground crews.

The next morning, while the nuggets socialized among themselves the four experienced pilots huddled around a table playing poker.

"I'm not looking forward to having to order these kids to fight," Blaze said as he folded on this round.

"Me neither," Chopper agreed. "Two nearly botched their landings."

"Yeah, you don't want to tie the world record for the lowest recorded flight," Blaze commented darkly.

"Do you really think we'll have to do that?" Nagase asked as she placed her bet.

"Sadly, yes," the Captain responded. "At least until the transfer of the east coast squadrons are finished." He looked over his shoulder at the nuggets wondering how many faces would disappear before the war ended. He prayed there would be none but the likelihood of that was slim. "When they do have to fight I want each of us to lead three of them and keep a close eye on them. Hopefully we can break them in easier that way."

"Captain Ingram?" A Tech Sergeant called out when he entered the lounge.

"Here," Blaze said standing up.

"The Commander would like to speak with you, sir," the sergeant said leading Blaze out into the hall.

In the commander's office Blaze was briefed on the imminent launch of Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) that day. The SSTO would be transferring a high powered laser module to the Arkbird in an effort to counter the threat of the Scinfaxi. "Because all my fighters were lost at Eglin Straits," the Colonel, much more athletic looking than Perault, explained, "I need you and your three wingmen to fly the Combat Air Patrol for the launch."

"Yes, sir," Blaze responded. "Are the remaining pilots I brought to remain grounded?"

"Correct, Captain," the Colonel responded. "They're still kids and I don't think they're ready yet."

"I agree, sir." Blaze snapped to attention. "We'll take off immediately."

"Good hunting, Captain. And don't screw it up." They exchanged salutes and Blaze left to rally his three wingmen.


	10. Chapter 10

CH. 10: BRIDGE OF PEACE

-03 Oct. 2010

As the four Wardog pilots were briefed at McNealy Nagase almost choked on the irony of the mission; they were to protect the mass driver as it launched a laser cannon up to the Arkbird. The Arkbird, an orbiter spacecraft, was built to help in the construction of an international space station with Yuktobania. The mass driver at Basset Space Center was also built to assist in that venture. It was called a "Bridge of Peace". Now this "Bridge of Peace" was being used to retrofit a once benign craft into a super weapon possibly more dangerous than the Scinfaxi, the Yuktobanian Super Submersible Carrier that was responsible for the decimation of the Third Fleet the previous day.

"Twenty minutes to launch!" The controller for the mass driver called out as the four pilots circled the space center.

"How are you guys holding up?" Blaze asked over the squadron channel.

"Just peachy here, kid," Chopper replied. "It's nice to be in warmer climates again."

"A fuse for my plane's radar had to be replaced," Grimm replied flatly, "But I'm good now, sir."

"That's good to hear," Blaze nodded as his mask dangled off to one side. "How about you, Edge?"

"I'm fine," she replied lowly.

"You sure?"

"Well…I don't think I need to voice my opinion about this launch. I'll just protect it as ordered."

"Okay," Blaze knew precisely what was eating at her. After his many discussions with her, Blaze figured Nagase was disgusted with the thought of using the Arkbird as a weapons platform. "Just stay on my wing, then. And, think of it this way. If we can use the Arkbird to balance the tide and end the war so soon after it started I'm sure the President will order the dismantling of the laser. Hell, best case scenario, we could be kicking back with Yuke pilots in the lounge by next week."

"I hope you're right," Nagase said solemnly.

XXXXX

"_Three minutes to launch,"_ the controller announced on the radio as the pilots patrolled the coast. That's when a series of blips came onto the radar; transport planes. There were four of them, Ilyushin Il-76MD transports.

"Halt the countdown!" The air controller ordered. "Enemy aircraft incoming!"

"Break and engage!" Blaze ordered his squadron. "Weapons free."

"We've got them on radar!" The air commander announced. "A large formation of transport planes and a squadron of fighters."

"I see the fighters," Grimm announced. "MiG-29's inbound hot!" As the MiG's swooped in towards the Wardog squadron the transports split and began dropping large packages.

"Blaze!" Nagase called out. "They're deploying airborne tanks!"

'_They're planning to capture the base?'_ Blaze was confused. "They're going for the command center and the mass driver! Chopper, Grimm, you two deal with the fighters! Leave to tanks to me and Nagase!"

"Roger!" The four of them echoed.

"Breaking right…now!" Chopper and Grimm broke off to take on the enemy fighters as the squadron leader and his wingman dove for the tanks.

"Make your bombs count, Edge," Blaze told her. "If there are any left when we're out we'll switch with the others."

"You got it, Blaze," she nodded in her cockpit. "Targeting southwest group."

"I'm going for the northwest…"

"This the Security Force!" Someone below cried out. "We can't stand up to those ACV's! All we have are Molotov… GYAA….!" Blaze looked through his HUD to see a BMD-1 ACV destroy a security pillbox with its 73mm gun. He climbed up and dove in on the moving tank. He lined up a spot ahead of the tank in his HUD and depressed the bomb switch.

"Pickle!" He called out as he banked away. He didn't see the bomb hit but heard the ground forces confirm the kill.

"The enemy has broken through the northeast sector!"

"Hey, Kid," Chopper called out. "We've taken care of those MiGs! Me and Grimm are going after those tanks!"

"Go get them!" Blaze affirmed.

"Blaze," Nagase flew up next to him. "There are more ACV's beyond that ridge!"

"Let's get them before they get any closer!"  
"Right!" The two of them banked low over the ridge as small arms fire from the tanks was shot up at them. They turned around and lined up behind the tanks as they entered their bomb runs.

"Aim the bombs uphill of them," Blaze ordered. "Even if they don't hit they'll cause the tanks to fall down that steep hill."

"Roger." The idea worked. They each pickled two of their bombs directly ahead and uphill of the company of tanks. Some were destroyed in the blasts and others were sent tumbling downhill, knocked out of commission. The surviving crews would certainly become POW's.

"Chopper, Grimm," Blaze snapped as they climbed back up. "Report!"

"We're good, kid!" Chopper answered. "We managed to bag a few more transports before they could deploy any tanks."

"Good work."

"It's not over yet," the air commander chimed in. "It looks like the enemy has abandoned the ground attack and are sending bombers."

"Wardog! We're going after those bombers!"

"You got it, Captain," Grimm confirmed. "They look like cruise missile platforms."

"_We're restarting the countdown!"_ The controller announced as they began the launch cycle.

"They're also sending ground attack aircraft!" Nagase added. "Su-39's!"

"The bomber's are almost within range." Blaze noticed. "Chopper, Grimm, you two go after those bombers! Don't let them launch those missiles! We'll cover you."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Chopper agreed and the squadron broke once more.

"Enemy attack planes, four miles ahead," Nagase reported her radar picture. "Five thousand feet."

"Same here," Blaze confirmed. "Looks like they're in a dive. Head for the deck, maybe we can lead them off and get the jump on them."

"They're maneuverability will be better at low altitude."

"But they're not designed for dog fighting," Blaze mentioned. "Just like our A-10's they're Achilles heel is air-to-air combat."

"Right, dead ahead. Let's go, Blaze."

"_Weather team, go…"_

"They're splitting up," Nagase noted as the Frogfoot attack planes split high and low. "Look's like a combined strafing and guided bomb attack on the main facility!"

"You go high, I'll go low!" Blaze ordered as they split up. Blaze dove for the three low flying Frogfoots and Nagase climbed high. "Locked on," Blaze tallied the lead plane, fox two!" The sidewinder leapt off its wing and tore the wing off the enemy plane as the other two broke off.

"I got one, too!" Nagase announced. The next Frogfoot fell to Blaze's cannon with smoke billowing as its pilot bailed out. The third one however weaved among the support towers of launch pads as Blaze chased after it.

"_One minute left!"_ The controller announced as Blaze got a lock on the fighter. _"Have a safe trip!"_

"He's firing!" Blaze shouted as his last sidewinder leapt off his Falcon and turned the plane into a ball of fire. "Bandit down!"

"_We're okay,"_ The control room reported. _"Just a hole or two in the ceiling. We're okay."_

"Kid!" Chopper frantically called out as Blaze noted the three burning wreckages of the other planes. "The bombers are down but three missiles are inbound for the mass driver!"

"I've got them!" Hannibal spotted them on his radar. He was close, virtually directly in their path. He was out of missiles but he still had his Vulcan cannon. He turned sharply and kicked his afterburner in. "Come on!"

"_All systems go!"_ A controller announced. _"Proceeding with launch!"_

As Blaze neared the missiles he eased up on the throttle and the final countdown began. _"20…19…18…"_

"Missiles approaching!" Blaze called out as he lined up. They were spread out and would be hard to hit. But he had scored the highest rank on Heirlark's gunnery range. "I'm firing!" He then unleashed his cannon on the missiles, throwing out hundreds of high explosive twenty millimeter shells. All he would need would be one shell per missile to hit to knock them out.

"_4…3…2…1…LAUNCH!"_

As the unmanned SSTO rocketed down the electromagnetic mass driver two of the missiles were destroyed. The flurry of shells from Blaze's plane continued to snake towards the third when he heard a dreadful silence from his cannon. He froze as the shells stopped flying.

"SHIT!" He cursed as the cruise missile flew over his fighter.

"_Passing checkpoint two…passing checkpoint three…"_

"_Mass driver hit by cruise missile,"_ the controller announced. Blaze looked back to see the plume of smoke and fire billow directly ahead of the SSTO.

Miraculously, the shuttle was moving so fast that it skipped the brutal gap in the rail and continued along the mass driver until it was arched upwards and launched into orbit.

"Whew," Blaze exhaled as he disconnected his mask. The enemy was withdrawing and the launch was a success. Barely. "That shouldn't have happened," he groaned as the flight control crew cheered over the radio.

"Blaze?" Nagase asked as she and the others flew along side his plane.

"I missed," Blaze grumbled. "I missed!"

XXXXX

When they landed Nagase learned why Blaze had missed. His cannon hadn't jammed and he didn't exactly miss. His cannon had merely run out of ammo. It was no fault on his part; he couldn't help how many rounds he had. "Don't eat yourself up about it, Blaze," Nagase told him as he sat on the flight line at McNealy. "It was bad luck that your gun ran out of ammo."

"And it was God's handiwork that covered my ass," Blaze grumbled.

"Are you always like this?" Nagase asked, placing a hand on her hip. "Kicking yourself in the ass every time bad luck rolls around?" Blaze nodded his head. He knew what she was getting at.

"Sorry. But…"

"But what?" His wingman asked. "You're worried that the higher ups will use it against you? Try to twist the facts so they can give you the boot? Well don't. The Mission Commander of the launch gave you the highest praise." That he hadn't heard. Blaze looked up at his gorgeous wingman in surprise. "Yeah. He said that if you weren't given a medal for what you did then Central Command, and I quote, 'doesn't know their ass from a donkey's'."

"He actually said that?"

"And the base Colonel agreed," Nagase smiled. "Not all the higher ups are a bunch of elitists." Blaze smile as he stood back up.

"Too bad he's not our base commander," he shook his head. "Oh, boy. It's going to be along flight back."


	11. Chapter 11

CH. 11: INVASION FORCE

-03 Oct. 2010

The Wardog squadron, nuggets and all landed back at Sand Island well after dusk that night. And once more Blaze nearly had a few heart attacks when three nuggets nearly crashed. One descended too short and had to pull up. When he turned away he nearly clipped into the tower. "Damnit!" Blaze shouted. "Those kids are going to kill us all before the Yukes have another chance at us. And then they'll have an easy picking at the coast."

"I couldn't agree more, Kid," Chopper said as the four senior pilots sat down in front of the TV that night.

"They got some more intel on those missiles the Scinfaxi used at Eglin," Blaze said. "They're guessing they use multiple warheads that emit both an explosive force equal to that of a MOAB and a strong electro-magnetic pulse."

"That explains why all those planes fell out of the sky," Grimm said.

"Yeah," Blaze nodded. "Looks like the effective radius of the pulse is nearly one full mile. Couple that with the explosive force of those warheads, it's no wonder those ships buckled under those attacks." Blaze, thinking somber thoughts, moved towards the nuggets to straighten them out.

As Chopper and Grimm discussed rock and roll bands and Blaze mingled with the nuggets, giving them last minute pointers and chewing out the pilots who repeatedly kept screwing up on their landings Nagase sat on the sofa with her red book. She tried to focus onto the pages but found it difficult. She couldn't get her mind off the night at Heirlark on the last day of September. When the two of them practically slept next to each other and woke up nearly on top of each other.

She had never been so embarrassed or ridiculous in her life. She got all flustered just _thinking_ about it. Blaze seemed to bring out emotions in her that she could barely control. This person, this attractive man, had literally flown into her life from out of the blue and turned her world upside down. No one had ever had this effect on her, not even her high school and college boyfriends. He was a kindred spirit. A person she felt a connection to ever since they first met.

But as she began to analyze her feelings for her Captain (now official with the bars to prove it) she knew the likelihood of a deep relationship with him was low. He was her superior officer. And that was something that was frowned upon by the bureaucracy and code of the military. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her half-Belkan captain off her mind. _'And it couldn't happen at a worse time,'_ she thought as more war news came onto the TV. _'Why did it have to happen here? And why did it have to happen now?'_ She went to bed that night moping over her raging emotions.

XXXXX

-04 Oct. 2010

The next morning the Wardog pilots had yet another crisis on their hands. "Looks like it's finally happening," Blaze said as he and Nagase met in the briefing room.

"What's finally happening?" Nagase asked.

"A Yuke fleet has been detected approaching Sand Island," he said. "And it's too large to be nothing more than a probing or feint attack. Amphibious assault ships, cruisers, guided missile destroyers, the works."

"You mean…they're going to invade?"

"Looks that way," Blaze said as Perault entered.

"Eh, you people are like the plague. You know that?" The geezer groaned at them.

'_Nice to see you again too, fat ass,'_ Blaze griped inwardly.

Blaze got his pilots geared up and ready for combat. He equipped the nuggets' F-5's with 1,000 lbs free fall bombs and his flight's F-16's with air-to-air missiles and a pair of 500 lbs bombs. "Listen, gang," he instructed his flight. "Because these nuggets are so green and half-trained I want each of us to lead a group of three of them."

"Great," Chopper groaned. "I've got to baby-sit more rookies."

"Shut it, Chop," Blaze snapped. "I'll lead blue flight. Nagase is red. Chopper, green. And Grimm is yellow. Keep a close eye on them and guide them through the enemy. We've _got_ to do as much damage to that fleet as possible. Make sure they make their shots count. And keep them away from enemy fighters. If those greenies get into it with fighters they'll drop like flies." Nagase knew what he was talking about. It would be just like that group of fighters that ambushed Wardog just before Blaze arrived. "Now, let's go do this."

XXXXX

-03 Oct. 2010

"Holy crap," Chopper muttered as they saw the radar picture of the enemy fleet. It seemed to stretch for miles form the forward landing force ahead of them to the supply ships and flagships in the rear. "Look at the size of that fleet!"

"Knock it off, Chopper!" Blaze ordered. "The nuggets don't need to hear that!"

"Captain," a nugget spoke up. "How are we going to beat these guys?"

'_Damnit,'_ Blaze cursed inwardly. _'Can't have these greenies locking up out here.'_ "We may be outnumbered nuggets but we can still win. Their objective is to capture or cripple Sand Island."

"If we can take out their landing ships," Nagase joined in. "And cause damage to their support gun ships they'll be forced to turn back."

"That's right. We neutralize their ability to win."

"_This is AWACS Thunderhead,"_ the eye in the sky called out. _"All units listen carefully."_

"Ah, I missed that sweet voice," Chopper purred.

"Aw, jeez," Blaze groaned as he snapped his mask on.

"Say, you get that from you're momma's side of the family?" That time Blaze couldn't help but smile at the comment.

"_Cut the chatter. First enemy wave bearing two-eight-zero degrees. You are cleared to engage on sight."_

"Roger," Blaze replied. "Wardog Squadron, break and engage the enemy units in your sectors. Remember target the landing ships and bombardment ships first. Don't worry about the supply and escort ships. Make your shots count."

"It's too risky for the nuggets here," Nagase said as she aw the size of the fleet.

"I'm with you on that," Chopper agreed.

"Maybe so," Blaze nodded. "But four planes wouldn't be able to carry all the necessary ordinance to cripple the fleet."

They broke the engagement line and each flight dove for the waves, hoping to use the radar reflections off the water to mask themselves from radar guided SAMs. "Go in fast and hard," Blaze ordered the squadron. "Target the key ships, drop your ordinance and break away fast. Hit and run tactics!"

"ROGER!" The flight leaders replied.

"Okay, blue flight," Blaze called to his nuggets. "We've got a landing ship and a missile destroyer ahead of us. Larkin, take point as we go after that landing ship first."

"Affirmative, Captain," Larkin nodded as he nudged his plane forward.

"Remember to lead the target so that your bomb falls on top of it. Not behind it."

"Do you ever get scared, Captain?" Nelson, the tail end nugget asked.

"I'm human, junior," Blaze replied lowly.

"I see…so you're just like us?" True, Blaze could fly into the worst of situations without batting an eye. But that didn't mean he wouldn't be scared shitless.

Larkin took the lead as he got a bearing on the lead landing ship. "Come on," he whispered. "Almost…there…"

"Bring your nose up," Blaze coaxed him. "That's it. Lead it off!"

"Pickle!" The bomb drop away. "Oh, shoot!" Blaze was about to ask what it was when he saw the bomb overshoot the ship and land in the ocean. "I'm sorry, Captain! My hand jerked."

"Forget it, Larkin!" Blaze replied as he dropped one of his bombs.

"Nice pickle, Captain!" Beamer cheered as the bomb detonated at the head of the enemy ship.

"Get a bearing on that destroyer."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

"I said forget about it," Blaze snapped. "Concentrate on your current target. That's all you've got to think about."

"Roger, Captain."

"If you don't like the sight picture, break off and try again. Or let one of the others try. Make your shots count." This time, Larkin remembered to keep his hand steady when he dropped the bomb. The destroyer went up in a ball of flame as its magazines exploded. "Nice one!" He then turned his flight north towards a pair of cruise missile cruisers. "We've got two missile cruisers due north," Blaze announced. "We'll knock them out simultaneously. Beamer, fly along side Larkin. You take the rear cruiser. Larkin the lead cruiser."

"Roger, Captain."

"Yes sir."

"_Hover craft have landed on the coastline!"_ Sand Island defense forces reported. _"We're meeting intense fighting!"_

"_I know!" _Perault shouted. _"All units! Do everything you can to stop them! If you can't protect this island what'll we tell our great heroes in the sky?"_

"What the hell is he smoking?" Blaze asked himself.

"'Great Heroes'?" Grimm muttered. "What's with him?"

"I'll bet he's got a different script for us when we get back," Chopper chuckled.

'_For once he's right,'_ Blaze commented as his flight drew near to the cruisers. "Hold it steady, nug-." He was cut off by Edge's frantic voice.

"Missile fired form enemy sub!"

"What!?" Grimm shouted.

"Shit!" Blaze swore. "It's the Scinfaxi!"

"Get out of there, Grimm!" Nagase shouted.

"Climb! Climb! C'mon!" Chopper quickly followed.

"Everyone drop what you're doing and climb!" Blaze ordered the squadron.

"I've almost got it…Captain," Beamer replied as he continued towards the cruiser.

"Break off, Beamer! That's an order!"

"Pull up, everyone! Get your altitude above five thousand feet!" Chopper called out.

"Move you're asses!" Blaze ordered as he got his flight into a climb.

"_Wait…"_ Thunderhead came on. _"We're getting a command override from somewhere…'Data link to A-Sat targeting system'. What is this?"_

'_What the hell is an A-Sat?'_ Blaze searched his memory banks. Thunderhead then started a countdown.

"_5…4…3…2…1…" _Just then Blaze saw a beam of blue energy shoot down from the sky and a ball of flame appeared in mid air right next to it.

"What was that!?" Chopper shouted.

"I saw it!" Blaze cried out.

"Was that the Arkbird?" Nagase asked out loud.

'_Of course: A-Sat is the callsign for the Arkbird,'_ Blaze remembered now.

"_Missile destroyed by laser beam fired from orbit altitude."_ Thunderhead cheered. _"It's the Arkbird! We've got the Arkbird!"_

"Alright!" Blaze cheered. "All planes, resume the attack! Send those ships to the bottom!"

"ROGER!" The squadron cheered.

A minute later more of the blips from the enemy fleet had disappeared. "Enemy fleet forty-five percent destroyed," Nagase did a quick calculation.

"Keep it up, Wardog!" Blaze ordered. "If we can deal more damage to their landing force they'll be forced to retreat!" Larkin and Beamer had emptied their bomb rack and were now flying behind Blaze as Nelson took his turn. The Scinfaxi fired another missile that was promptly destroyed by the Arkbird. The orbiter was aided by a P-3 anti-sub plane codenamed 'Blue Hound'.

"If we keep this up we'll be able to turn the tide of battle," Grimm commented cheerfully.

"Reminds me of the Battle of Midway," Blaze added.

"_Oh, no,"_ Blue Hound groaned. _"They're launching more missiles…number 3…number 4…number 5!"_  
"Son of a bitch!" Blaze shouted.

"Come on, Arkbird!" Nagase screamed. "Use your lasers!"

'_There's no way the Arkbird can fire its laser that fast.'_ As the first missile was vaporized Blaze pulled up. "All planes, climb!"

"They're coming!" Chopper shouted as the second missile came down. "They're still coming!"  
"All Wardog planes! Climb! Get above five thousand feet!" Blaze ordered.

"Follow the flight leads!" A nugget agreed. But they were two late.

"_Three…two…one…"_ Thunderhead counted. The effect of two Scinfaxi missiles detonating over the squadron did horrible damage.

"The eject handle's stuck!" A nugget cried out.

"Wing's damaged!" Nelson shouted. "Losing altitude!" Blaze could only watch his radar in vain as all of the nuggets' planes disappeared from radar.

"Damnit!" Chopper cursed.

"Damn," Blaze shouted as he looked down at the enemy fleet. "There's got to be a way for us to neutralize that sub! We can't keep this up by ourselves."

"The enemy fleet is re-gathering their momentum," Nagase observed as the four Wardog pilots rejoined.

"_There's no choice,"_ Thunderhead called out. _"Just weave through the missiles and continue attacking the ships."_

"That is the worst idea ever!" Blaze shouted back.

"What are you nuts?" Chopper agreed. Blaze took another look at the enemy fleet. Several landing ships had already been sunk but a few remained. There was also still a pair of frigates firing rockets towards Sand Island. As Blaze did a quick tally of his squadron's stores Arkbird got on the radio with Blue Hound.

"_Requesting sonar buoy data-link,"_ the orbiter requested.

"_Stand-by,"_ Blue Hound responded.

"Weapons check," Blaze asked his wingmen.

"Two 'winders and one bomb," Chopper replied.

"Same here," Nagase replied.

"I've got one sidewinder and two bombs, Captain," Grimm gave his. He had knocked out an assault helicopter with his missile.

"_Arkbird, we're sending the data now,"_ Blue Hound called. _"What're you going to do?"_

"Enemy fighters approaching," Blaze spotted a flight of Su-33 Naval Flankers. "Engage!"

"Roger!" His squadron replied. As he and his flight tangled with the Yuke fighters Blaze nearly flew into a column of blue light.

"Holy shit!" He cursed as he banked around it. The Flanker that was pursuing him wasn't so lucky. It was vaporized when it failed to turn in time.

"The Arkbird shot a laser into the ocean!" Grimm called out.

"_Explosion in the water!" _Blue Hound called out. _"It damaged the submerged Scinfaxi!"_

"Hell yeah!" Blaze cheered."That's what I call air support!"

"_Picking up sounds of main ballast blow! The Scinfaxi is surfacing!" _

And sure enough, a few seconds later the Wardog pilots saw a ship the size of an Aircraft carrier bob out of the ocean blue. "My God," Nagase moaned. "It's huge!"

"It's a sitting duck!" Blaze called out.

"_Blast it out of the water!"_ Thunderhead voiced exactly what Blaze was thinking.

"Wardog!" Blaze called out. "Form up on me. We're going to take that ship out!"

"What about the rest of the fleet?" Nagase asked.

"If we can knock that sub out the enemy will lose its strong hand," Blaze replied. "Now let's take it out!" They dove at a forty-five degree angle for the ship. As they neared the release point Blaze noted that several planes were being launched from the ship's aft.

"Enemy fighter's taking off," Nagase observed. "They're MiGs."

"I don't have a picture!" Blaze said as he noticed he'd over shot his release point. "You guys take the Scinfaxi! But watch out for those SAMs!" He wasn't kidding either. As the pilots dropped all four bombs several missiles leapt from the enemy ship. They shook them off, no problem. But only two of the bombs hit the ship the other two landed short and beyond the sub.

"Two direct hits!" Nagase called out. "But we're out of bombs!"

"Enemy fighters, coming around!" Grimm called out. "Turning to engage."

"_Arkbird, firing laser,"_ the orbiter called out. A blue beam of light ripped into the ship's aft and tore a massive hole.

"_Direct hit! It ripped a massive hole!"_ Thunderhead called out.

"There's its Achilles Heel," Blaze noted after he bagged a MiG. "I've got one bomb left, I'm going to have to make it count!"

"We've got the fighters covered, Blaze," Nagase spoke up. "Leave them to us."

"Right, I'm going down there. Keep those fighters off my back!" He broke formation and dove for the deck. He pulled up and skimmed the water only twenty feet above the waves. If he could use the radar reflection of the waves to mask his radar cross section then those SAMs would have a hard time picking him out among the noise. He'd just have to worry about the AA guns instead. "I'm punching it, full throttle!" He hit his afterburners and raced towards the super sub, kicking up a rooster tail of sea water behind his plane.

His plan worked. The radar guided missiles launched from the sub couldn't lock onto him. The ocean waves reflected too much radar noise for the guidance systems to pick him out. It also made it difficult for the radar sighted AA cannons to shoot him as well. Instead the submarine crew adopted a 'spray and pray' tactic, throwing every last round they could in his general direction.

"Just a little closer," Blaze breathed into his mask.

"Pull up, Blaze!" Nagase cried out. "You won't be able to hit if you're too low!"

"I'm on it!" Blaze called back. "Just a little more!" He saw a flash and a missile shot past him and exploded. It didn't do any serious damage but knocked out his bomb computer. "Damnit! I'm breaking off!" He pulled away, cursing inwardly.

"Hey Kid! Are you alright?" Chopper asked the Ace.

"Yeah," Blaze replied as he slowed his speed. "But my targeting computer was knocked out." He looked back at the leviathan of a ship. _'But if I don't take it out this would've been for nothing. All my nuggets will have died in vain!'_ "I'm going back in! One more time!"

"W-HAT!?" Chopper shouted as Blaze rolled back in. This time he approached from the Scinfaxi's aft, hoping it would be a blind spot. "Target in sight!" Blaze called out. "Lining up!" He eased his plane to the left, bringing it nose on directly for the hole in its hull. "I only have on shot at this!"

"Come on, Blaze!" Nagase cheered him on as she watched from a thousand feet up as his plane streaked across the ocean. "You can do it!"

"Bringing the nose up!" He knew he'd have to release the bomb as precisely the right angle and right distance from the ship in order to get a direct hit. Nothing else would do. "Come on!" He shouted as AA tracers arced past his wings. "COME ON!" _'Bingo!'_ "PICKLE! PICKLE!" He released the bomb and shot over the streamlined conning tower of the sub as the 500 lb bomb dove into a perfect hole in one. The explosion caught the ammo magazines and aviation fuel stores and the resulting explosion doomed the super sub.

"_Direct hit!"_ Thunderhead cheered as the column of flames erupted from the ship's aft like a volcano. _"Target destroyed!"_

"Nice going, Captain!" Grimm yelled.

"Alright, Blaze!" Nagase cheered.

"Yeah! That's one for the home team!" Chopper roared.

"_The enemy force has abandoned its attack, they're retreating!"_ Thunderhead called out. _"Mission Accomplished, return to base!"_

As the Wardog pilots circled back around and flew over the sinking Scinfaxi they watched as it slipped beneath the waves. A second later a column of water shot into the air as the crippled vessel exploded one last time.


	12. Chapter 12

CH. 12: LETTERS

-05 Oct. 2010

The next day, although in the shadow of a crucial victory over the enemy, was somber for Blaze. Sure, they had crippled the enemy invasion force, and destroyed their most powerful weapons system. But, even as east coast squadrons were transferred to Henderson, Jackson City and McNealy, Wardog Squadron was back down to just four pilots. Two of the nuggets survived the Scinfaxi's attack and were plucked from the ocean. But they could never fly again.

One had a broken spine and was paralyzed from the waist down. The other was a psychological casualty. He had seemed to have locked up; said he was afraid to set foot on another plane. An Air Force psychiatrist examined him and diagnosed it as a combination of severe shell shock and aerophobia. He was transferred to the mainland as a supply colonel's aide.

When Nagase entered the crew room she found Blaze absent. Chopper and Grimm were at the foosball table enjoying themselves. _'That's odd,'_ Nagase said to herself. _'I wonder where he is.'_ "Chopper," she walked over to the buff pilot. "Have you seen Blaze?"

"No," Chopper rubbed his head. "Can't say I have."

"I think he's in his quarters," Grimm spoke up. Nagase could only smile as she noticed the 'honorary' Second Lieutenant bars on his shoulders. She nodded and headed out in search of their captain.

'_I wonder why Blaze is hiding out in his quarters.'_ Nagase theorized as she walked along the halls. _'He never sleeps in and he doesn't retreat there if embarrassed.'_ She reached his door and knocked.

"Come in," he sounded wide awake. Nagase opened and stepped inside. "Oh, hi, Edge." Blaze waved to her. He was huddled over his desk typing away on his computer. His printer had already printed out about half a dozen pages.

"Is there a reason why you're hiding in here, Blaze?" Nagase asked.

"I'm writing letters to some families," Blaze replied.

"The nuggets?" Nagase got a nod in response. "Isn't that Perault's responsibility?"

"He 'respectfully requested' that _I_ write the letters," Blaze responded.

"Why that uptight-!" Nagase began growling.

"Actually I think this is best," Blaze interrupted her. "If he wrote the letters he'd probably write just one vague and impersonal letter and cut and paste each nugget's name on to it." Nagase pulled up a chair and sat down behind him. "This way, each family member gets a letter that was meant for them. And not one that reads like it was meant for mass production. A personal touch, so to speak." Nagase picked up the printed letters and briefly looked them over. Sure enough, each one was a little different than the others. He even included information on a few of the nuggets that proved that he personally knew them. "Also, I think they'd prefer to hear from the man who led their loved ones into battle."

"You shouldn't blame yourself, Blaze," Nagase re-informed him.

"I don't," he replied. "If I blame anyone I blame the officials who decided to send unseasoned, unprepared nuggets into battle instead of expediting the transfer of the east coast squadrons." The truth was, High Command wanted to transfer the squadrons in full; every support technician, every piece of equipment, every officer and logistics personnel to their new air bases. Getting all that equipment and people transferred at once took time. And by the time the first squadron was transferred and settled in it would've been two days _after_ the invasion attempt on Sand Island. It would've been much quicker if they sent the planes and pilots first and bring up their logistics base later.

"Well," Nagase said standing up. "I'm sure these families will be left with some hope after reading _your_ letters." She said warmly.

"I hope you're right," Blaze said as he printed out another letter and signed it.

'_I hope so too,'_ Nagase said as she left his room. _'Then, some people outside the military will know that you're a stand up guy, Blaze.'_

XXXXX

-05 Oct. 2010

Surprisingly, there hadn't been any noticeable actions made by Yuktobania since the destruction of the Scinfaxi. "Maybe our power play drove home the fact that they don't want to go to war with us," Blaze commented that night at dinner.

"I just want to know what the big deal was about," Chopper spoke up. "I mean, what did we or even _they_ do?'

"That is a good question." Blaze was surprised that Chopper had picked up on that as well. _'There hasn't been any economic, political or otherwise notable tension between Osea and Yuktobania,' _Blaze went over pre-war events in his head. _'It couldn't be because they feared we were going to attack them. Hell, the President was _cutting _the defense budget.'_ Although Blaze didn't care for cutting the defense budget he still knew that Vincent Harling was one of the few good and _honest_ politicians still around. "Maybe once this is over both sides will sit down and talk things out in a civilized fashion."

"I hope so," Nagase whispered. "I don't want to see anymore young men and women lose their lives."

"Anyone who does," Blaze added, "is a sociopath of a maniac.

XXXXX

-09 Oct. 2010

A week later, Blaze received the first response from one of his letters to the nuggets' families. Nagase was in the crew room, with her red book as usual when Blaze received the ever rare bit of mail. Being an orphan/semi-outcast he rarely got any unofficial mail outside of the magazines he subscribed to. "Who's it from?" Nagase asked sitting upright.

"A 'Nancy Higgins'," Blaze replied. "The mother of 2nd Lt. Jake Higgins." Both held their breath as he opened the letter. It was hand written on lined paper in a very smooth and motherly manner.

_Dear Capt. Ingram,_

_I received your letter regarding the death of my son Jake in a recent battle under your command. At first, I was angry towards you for letting my precious child die. But, as I read your letter I got the instinct that if it was in your power you would've done everything you could to save my son. My husband, Jake's father, is very upset with you. But I believe he will come around._

_From what I read in your letter, and what I heard on the news, it sounds like my son died a heroic death defending our country. I also got the sense that you are an intelligent and passionate young man. I'd like to inform you that I spoke with my son on the phone the day before he died. He told me all about you, Capt. Ingram. He told me that you were a strong man, and a great leader; and that you looked out for your 'nuggets' as he called himself and his comrades. He also told me he was proud to be serving with you._

_I would also like you to know that I am proud my son served under your command in the last days of his life. Do I blame you for my son's death? No. I blame those who took evil action against his life. And if anyone says otherwise you tell them to write to me. _

_Thank you, and God Bless you._

_-signed- Nancy Catherine Higgins_

"I…I don't know…," Blaze stuttered as he reread the letter to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "I certainly wasn't expecting this."

"You see, Blaze," Nagase patted him on the shoulder. "Not everyone is a prejudiced bastard who'll blame you for every sin ever conceived. Truly honest people like Mrs. Higgins see that you are a good guy. So don't let this be a surprise to you." She looked at the opened envelope on the end table. "In fact, don't be surprised if you get more letters like that."

He did get more letters from families and friends the next few days; there was at least one response to every letter he wrote. Two-thirds of the responses were positive and offered thanks and wishes of good will to Blaze and his wingmen. The minority that were spiteful were anonymous and vulgar.

Through it all, Blaze felt that he had made distant and brief friends of Mrs. Higgins and other families who wrote warmly to him.


	13. Chapter 13

CH. 13: THE VULTURES ARE COMING

-12 Oct. 2010

One day, after returning from a CAP patrol with Grimm, Blaze found that a large press pool had arrived on base. They were getting looked over by the Security Forces to ensure that none of them were enemy agents. _'Okay,'_ Blaze groaned inwardly. _'I am not going to like this.'_ Before he could be spotted he had retreated back inside the main complex.

As he walked the halls he discovered that the main classroom had be converted into an interview room. Cameras had been set up, a blue and white background canvas and those lighted umbrellas lined the room. When he entered the crew room he found that Grimm had beaten him there. Chopper, Nagase and Pops were there as well, relaxing.

"Since when have vultures migrated to Sand Island?" Blaze asked out loud to everyone in the room.

"Uh, vultures?" Grimm asked, scratching his head.

"I believe he's talking about the press gang that arrived earlier," Pops said from behind his magazine.

"Bingo," Blaze pointed over in the mechanics direction. He grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down in what became known as his chair.

"Well ever since Genette's article and now in the wake of the destruction of the Scinfaxi the media all want interviews with you," Pops answered.

"Over my rotting corpse," Blaze replied to that.

"What?" Chopper looked over in his direction.

"I'm not going to parade myself in front of those carrion eaters and let them ask nonsense questions," Blaze explained.

"What kind of nonsense questions?"

"Oh the usual: 'How do you feel about the loss of your trainee's?' 'Have you notified their families?' Or my personal favorite, 'How does a person with Belkan ancestry become the leading ace in this war?'"

"They have no business asking those questions," Nagase agreed with him.

"And yet, the bastards will still want to ask them," Blaze grumbled. "If you guys want to you can talk to them; don't let me stop you. But I aint talking to them."

XXXXX

Later that day Chopper was happily going through his interview. Grimm's interview was short and sweet. On the other side of the room Nagase was also being interviewed. She had also been apprehensive about this. And they were indeed asking the questions she hoped they wouldn't. 'How does it feel being the only female pilot in this squadron?' And 'Is it true that you're the first female ace in history?' She detested being viewed as a 'female aviator'. She just wanted to be seen as an ordinary pilot. Unlike Blaze who had avoided the interview altogether, Nagase just danced around those questions. Until, they turned to her Captain.

"Tell us about your commanding officer," the female reporter asked next.

"Blaze?" Nagase quirked an eyebrow.

"Who else?"

"There's not much to say about him," she replied. _'Actually, I could talk all day about him. But I don't think that's what you're interested in.'_ "He's a strong leader, an excellent pilot and a brave soul."

"And very handsome I hear," the reporter batted her eyes jokingly though Nagase didn't let out one chuckle. "What about his Belkan ancestry? Isn't that a factor in how you view him? Considering the events of the last war?"

'_You bitch,'_ Nagase wanted to strangle the blonde broad who had the audacity to say those things. "Blaze is an _Osean_." His wingman, Edge, spoke definitively. "And if you want to know his story, ask him."

"He isn't talking to us," the reporter replied. "He has avoided us at every turn and not spoken a word to us."

"I wonder why," Nagase didn't even bother faking confusion.

"Perhaps you can explain it for us?"

"I'll say this: he's not talking to you because he doesn't respect you."

"Respect? What's that got to do with anything? All we wanted to do was ask him a few questions about his background."

"And it's because of that that he doesn't respect you," Nagase clarified. "I'll lay it out for you. You seem think that the fact that he comes from Belkan ancestry has anything to do with his character. He takes that kind of suspicion personally. And I believe that I speak for all of Wardog Squadron when I say that Blaze is our friend and we don't even _think_ of him being a Belkan. So if you ask another distasteful question about Blaze I'll walk away right now." That effectively ended the topic.

That subject indeed sat the same way with Chopper and Grimm. The timid junior pilot of Wardog simply answered the questions with 'no comment' or 'I'm not going to answer that.' Chopper on the other hand just shoved the topic to the side with one sentence: "Why the hell do you care, man?" It didn't take long for whispers of his wingmen's silent defense of him to reach Blaze's ears.

He confronted Nagase about it that night in the lounge. "I heard you jousted with the reporter about me," he said sitting down across from her. "You didn't have to go to that length to defend me, you know."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just couldn't help myself."

"Well," Blaze mumbled. "I don't think it did much. They're still tailing me like some blood hound." He shot her a glance. "But don't go playing defensive end for me, okay? I can handle a few parasites." Nagase smiled her compliance.

XXXXX

-13 Oct. 2010

The press gang didn't stop trying to get Blaze on camera. They stalked him virtually everywhere always shouting their questions to him. "Is it true your father was a member of the Belkan military?" One shouted as he marched towards the hanger to go over his plane with Pops.

"Have you been met with any suspicion since you've arrived?" Another asked.

"Do you blame yourself for the deaths of your trainees?"

"Is it true your former commander is suspected of being a Yuktobanian agent?"

"Are you the subject of any investigation? Have you ever been a member of the Belkan military?" Blaze just ignored their questions, not even looking in their direction as he left them in his shadow.

"God damn, leeches," Blaze cursed as he strode up to Pops.

"If you sit down with them for just two minutes it might make them go away," Pops offered assistance.

"Or it might make those bloodsuckers thirsty for more." Blaze sighed. "Any idea on when or if we'll get new planes?"

"Central Command has received numerous requests that the Air Force's budget be increased and newer planes be transferred," Pops replied. "It's currently under review and if it passes you'll likely be getting some F-15's."

"That'll be good," Blaze nodded as he kicked the nose wheel. "How are things with you?"

"What are you talking about, Blaze?" The bald man asked the ace.

"Bartlett told me you had some…'family issues'," he said in very low whisper. "Said you were viewed as kind of the black sheep of your family."

"You mean…he told you?" Pops couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"He knew he could trust me to help out if needed."

"Well, thanks. But no, nothings going on with me." 2nd Lt. Beagle shook his head. "But thanks for your concern."

That night, Blaze was in his quarters going over some last minute paper work and intelligence briefs. According to intel Wardog squadron had seriously broken the enemy's back when they devastated their invasion fleet. They lost a good deal of their logistics stores in that battle and as a result, their ability to launch offensive operations was seriously diminished.

As he stretched and reached to turn off his desk light there was a knock on his door. "Come in," a second later Nagase stepped inside. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to tell you that the reporters, with the exception of Genette, will be leaving in the morning."

"That'll be a load off my shoulders," Blaze replied sitting against his desk as Nagase sat in a chair with the back in front of her.

"You don't like them, do you?"

"It's nothing personal," Blake waved his hands. "I like Genette. He's an honest guy and doesn't get annoyingly nosey. But the rest of them…they're little more than vultures. Half their questions were about our lost nuggets!"

"Yeah…same with me. Except they wanted to know if I blamed you or someone else for their deaths." Blaze scoffed at that. "They also wanted to know about our 'relationship'."

"GACK!" Blaze nearly choked on the cookie he was eating. "They what!?"

"I paid no attention to them," Nagase gave a tiny smile.

'_Our 'relationship'?'_ Blaze had no idea what to think of _THAT_. He had never been in a relationship before. _'This getting more complicated by the day.'_


	14. Chapter 14

CH. 14: MOTHER GOOSE ONE

-21 Oct. 2010

As if Chopper's natural giddiness couldn't grow any more. Blaze had just finished pinning First Lieutenant bars on both him and Nagase. Over the past week he had to bust his ass to get the colonel to agree to their promotions. "There's no way we could've beaten back the enemy time and time again if it weren't for them. Nagase is smooth on the stick and thorough in her duties. Davenport," Blaze tried to remain as professional about it as possible, "although being a bit of a heckler, is also a tough fighter and has proven able in combat." Finally, Perault agreed and the promotion was official.

That night Chopper couldn't stop partying in his room, rock and roll blaring through the night. "I certainly don't think the promotion was necessary, Blaze," Nagase said to her captain.

"Now you know how I feel," Blaze replied as he played with his Captain pins. "But trust me, you and Chopper handled the nuggets pretty well the other week. If that damn super sub hadn't shown up I'm sure we could've made some pretty good pilots out of a few of them by now. The rest would've had to gone back to Heirlark but I do know a handful that I would've kept around." _'Larkin, Beamer, Jones, Higgins…'_

"Yeah," Nagase agreed. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."

"And it was about time those eggheads at HQ got all the squadrons transferred; and just in time for things to be winding down, too." But they weren't that way for long.

XXXXX

-22 Oct. 2010

"Now are you _sure_ our IFFs are up to date?" Blaze asked Pops in the hanger. "I wouldn't feel honored to be shot out of the sky by one of our own SAMs."

"Blaze," Pops grunted, "Have I ever let you down before?"

"Look, yesterday we received word along with the entire Air Force that the current IFF signals have been changed. I just want to make sure that we have _our_ 'i's' dotted and 't's' crossed. I just hope the Air Defense Command has done the same."

"Your planes are good to go, Blaze. That's all I can do."

"Alright then. See ya later," he and Nagase mounted up and took off to patrol Akerson Hill.

XXXXX

"Hey, you two," Nagase chuckled into her mask at Chopper and Grimm's conversation. "What's your current position?" She and Blaze had been patrolling the air space for the last hour and Chopper and Grimm were on their way to relieve them.

"300 miles south of you," Chopper replied.

"I heard that they're going to be holding a Mongolian bar-b-que tonight at chow," Blaze said over the common frequency.

"Mongolian, huh?" Nagase replied. "I never tried that."

"Sounds gross to me man," Chopper just had to butt in.

"Then don't eat it." Blaze shot back at Chopper. "Seriously, Edge, it's actually pretty good. It's a lot like stir fry only it uses a flat heating plate instead of a wok. You also use a lot of noodles, sauces and oils to flavor it up. You can put pretty much anything into your own bowl: rice, meat, vegetables, even pineapple. You'll like it."

"Sounds good," his beautiful wingman chirped.

"Yeah, I think I'll try it too," Grimm agreed. Static then buzzed into Blaze's radio a minute later.

"…damaged, but the damage is light," a pilot's voice called out.

"What the?" Blaze muttered.

"Transmitting aircraft," Nagase spoke up. "State your assignment and current status."

"Oh, finally a response. This is Osean transport plane Mother Goose One," the pilot responded. "We're on our way to North Point. Please come closer, I have the transmitter on low power."

"Let's go," Blaze said as they moved towards the radio signals direction.

"Ah there you are," the captain said as they neared the plane, a C-5B Galaxy. "I'm requesting an escort through the AA system. You see, we're on a top secret mission and for some reason we're not transmitting a friendly ID signal. One of our own missiles was mistakenly fired at us. We narrowly avoided a direct hit but it knocked out our radar." Blaze looked over the plane and saw some light shrapnel damage to the radar housing.

"Roger that, Mother Goose One," Blaze replied. "We'll guide you through the defenses." He switched over to Nagase's channel. "Looks like someone didn't get the memo."

As Blaze and his new charge neared the SAM belt Chopper informed them that long range radar had detected a squadron of unidentified aircraft coming in from the north. "Looks like we've got company," Blaze commented. "Nagase, you stay with Mother Goose One and help me guide them. There's a narrow corridor through the SAM system that I'll guide them through. You just aid the captain in following my lead."

"Roger," Nagase replied.

"_If we bag this guy,"_ an enemy pilot's voice carried over onto their frequency, _"They won't just give us a medal, and they'll build a statue in our honor"_

"What are these guys talking about?" Nagase asked no one in particular.

"Don't worry about them," the transport captain replied. "Just make sure we get through the AA system."

"Roger," Blaze concurred.

"Mother Goose One, switch your radio frequency to 136 MHz," Nagase advised the captain as Blaze followed the map overlay of the AA targeting zone. The defenses were arrayed in a specific pattern to allow a narrow, winding path through the majority of the SAM batteries. This was added in when a plane that was damaged in a mid-air collision during a routine training exercise tried to get back to base. Since his transmitter was damaged the automated SAM system mistook him for an enemy and fired on him. The pilot never got the chance to know that it was a friendly missile that prematurely ended his life.

"Lead fighter pilot," MG One called out to Blaze as he took another gentle bank. "Can you see us?"

"That's a 'roger'," Blaze replied.

"Thanks, as much as you can guide us in a straight line. I never thought the skies over our own country could be so unfriendly."

"You should try flying Ixiom Airlines next time," Blaze quipped to keep the transport pilot's morale up.

"Y-eah," the pilot chuckled in response. As he navigated the AA system Blaze used his rudder a lot to keep the turns wide and easy. Being the largest aircraft in the Osean inventory the Galaxy wasn't an agile aircraft when it was in perfect shape and this one was damaged.

"Warning," the co-pilot called out as they neared the northern edge of the AA system. "We have oil pressure trouble on the number four engine."

"I'll handle the controls," the pilot responded. "You check the instruments."

"It's okay; it was just a sensor malfunction."

'_Man they're wound up tight,'_ Blaze thought. _'Just what is their mission?'_ "And that's all she wrote, Mother Goose One," Blaze said as they cleared the AA belt. "You're north of the ADEZ."

"Thanks," MG One replied.

"Blaze, I've got numerous hits on the radar," Nagase called out.

"I see them, six bandits inbound hot. Mother Goose One, turn away from the area, leave the fighters to us."

"Roger that."

"Chopper Team has arrived."

"Hey Kid," Chopper greeted Blaze as he and Grimm roared in after cutting their afterburners. "We're under your command now."

"Alright, form up tight," Blaze ordered. "Let's try and mask our radar signature."

"They'll think there's only one escort?" Grimm asked.

"That's right. And when we engage them we'll get the jump on them."

"I like your style, man," Chopper beamed.

"Agh," MG One grunted. "Damnit!"

"Your speed's decreasing," Nagase noted. "What's wrong?"

"Mechanical failure, we've lost engine one."

"Not good," Blaze noted. "Alright, Nagase, break formation and stay close to Mother Goose One," Blaze ordered. "Leave the fighters to us."

"You'll be outnumbered two to one," she argued.

"Just do it, Edge," Blaze ordered. "We'll be alright. Chopper and I have got Grimm watching our backs."

"What? Oh," Grimm stuttered, "right. Heh, heh." Blaze had a light chuckled before he snapped his mask shut.

"Okay then, Edge breaking formation." And with that she broke high and right and flew to MG One's wing.

"Let's kick some ass, boys," Blaze said as the three of them flew as close as possible directly towards the enemy formation. So far so good. The enemy remained in their standard echelon formation; they had no idea that they would be facing three instead of just one fighter. "Break and engage on my signal. One…two…three…" _'There!'_ "ENGAGE! Weapons free!" As the three Wardog pilots spread out they each fired an AIM-120 missile. Three fireballs confirmed direct head on hits.

"HA! HA!" Chopper laughed as both formations split and turned to engage the other. 'It worked, kid! They must've pissed their pants!"

"Hey! Get back in your seat!" MG One's pilot yelled.

'_What now?'_ Blaze asked.

"Hey!" Blaze heard several gunshots over the radio along with the sounds of someone dying.

"What the hell!?" Blaze shouted. "Nagase! What's going on?"

"I don't know!" She responded. "Mother Goose One!" She shouted as it began weaving and shuttering. "Respond!"

"Uh," a new voice replied. "This is uh, transport plane Mother Goose One…The, the captain's been shot."

"What?"/"The hell?" Chopper and Blaze muttered simultaneously.

"There was a spy in the crew. The co-pilot is wounded and…uh oh, two of the engines have shut down."

"Damnit," Blaze swore. "What the hell is going on?" He fired a sidewinder and took out a fourth MiG. Chopper bagged another as another pair of bandits appeared heading for MG One. "Chopper, Grimm, I'm splitting off." He broke away as the other two took after the last MiG. Blaze raced full afterburner towards the transport. When he arrived Nagase was already fighting two MiG-31s. "Mother Goose One, report!"

"The captain's dead and Tommy is flying the controls, but he's just a secretary," the mystery man replied.

'_Secretary?'_ Blaze pondered.

"So who are you?" Chopper asked as the sixth MiG was destroyed.

"I guess you'd call me the cargo on this plane. Uh, can you tell us how to fly this?" Nagase took out one of the Foxhounds and Blaze took aim at the other.

"Nagase!" Blaze handed her the duty.

"Roger. Lower your altitude. We'll prepare you for an emergency landing."

"_Let's pull out,"_ Blaze heard the last MiG pilot talk to his backseater. The MiG-31 turned north and hauled ass away in full afterburner. That ended the air-to-air engagement.

"Wardog, form up on Mother Goose One," Blaze ordered. "We're going to lead her through an emergency landing."

"An emergency landing?" Chopper snapped. "But the ground is littered with those power generating windmills."

"Then we'll knock them down with our cannons," Blaze replied. _'Not an easy task…but…'_

"WHAT!?"

"There's no choice," Nagase agreed with Blaze. "Blaze, I'll stay with Mother Goose One."

"Roger, everyone else, on me!" Blaze scanned ahead with his radar and spotted four windmills in a large flat pasture. "Right there, Nagase!" He pointed her out to it. "Alright, gang, let's do this."

"Are you still there?" Mr. Cargo asked as Blaze, Grimm and Chopper shot ahead. "The one with the lovely voice, uh miss…?"

"First Lieutenant Kei Nagase," she replied proudly. "Sir."

"Aah, and a lovely name as well," Mr. Cargo beamed.

"And I'm Chopper!" The comedian trapped in a pilot's body quipped.

"Er…that's a good name too," Mr. Cargo muttered.

"I like you man."

"Oh, my God," Blaze groaned. "Motormouth!" He shouted at Chopper. "Quit talking and help us knock these giant fans down!"

"Oh, yes, sir!" The first two windmills fell to triple barrages of 20mm cannon fire.

"Okay, Tommy's doing his best but he's never flown before," Mr. Cargo said as the plane slowly descended. "I…I don't know if we'll make it. So I just want to thank you all for this."

"Don't think like that, sir," Blaze replied as he pulled away from the ground. "You're going to make it."

"Yes. You'll do fine," Nagase agreed. _'Got to keep their spirits up.'_

When the last windmill was knocked down Blaze led the others back above and behind MG One. All they could do now was let Nagase do her thing and guide the transport to the ground. _'I guess this is what it looks like from the outside,'_ Blaze said to himself as he recalled his emergency landing a few weeks prior. Nagase also talked him down on that one.

"Okay," Mr. Cargo said as they neared the pasture. "We're almost there. You're doing great Tommy. Those pilots ought to recruit you."

'_Good, Mr. Cargo. Keep your boy's morale up. Just a little further now.'_

"Mother Goose One," Nagase spoke up. "Just keep going."

"That look's like a pretty good runway," Mr. Cargo said as they passed one hundred feet. "A perfect place to land."

"And the scenery isn't too bad either," Blaze added cheerfully.

"Touching down…now." Dust kicked up as the plane landed on the grass field. More dust kicked up as the brakes were applied and engines reversed.

'_Not bad for a first time secretary,'_ Blaze thought inwardly. _'Maybe we should look into recruiting more secretaries?'_

XXXXX

"Are you alright, Mr. Cargo?" Nagase asked once the plane stopped.

"Uh, yeah," he replied. "That's was actually a pretty smooth ride." As Nagase held a conversation with the secretive big wig Blaze kept an eye on their fuel reserves.

"Uh, oh," Chopper spoke up. "I'm almost out of fuel."

"Wardog Squadron," a voice called out as four planes appeared from the east. "This is the 8492nd Squadron. We observed the landing on our radar. We'll provide protection until the rescue crews arrive."

"Roger, 8492nd," Nagase replied. "Take care of them for us."

"Sure thing," the 8492nd flight leader responded. As they turned back to the south Blaze couldn't help but get a bad vide crawl down his spine when he heard those words.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: FYI people. I just enlisted in the US Navy and will soon be leaving for Boot Camp. So don't expect an update anytime soon. Thanks for the reviews and keep on reading. And now, on with the show…

CH. 15: THE WAR CONTINUES

-30 Oct. 2010

The mood at base was subdued compared to the previous week. The reason: the power generator for the laser on the Arkbird was sabotaged by explosives smuggled in a supply shipment. As a result, Osea's secret weapon was rendered useless. Nagase was depressed about it because that meant any hopes of the President negotiating an early end to the war was gone.

And to make things worse, Perault seemed to be even grouchier than normal. He and Hamilton kept having secret meetings with intelligence and senior officers who flew in. Blaze tried to find out what was going on but was stonewalled at every turn. Resigning the argument he returned to the crew room where he found Nagase on her couch as usual. Blaze pulled his _Aviation Times_ from his leg pocket and began thumbing through the articles. "Well, Grunder Industries' stock is up two hundred points," he commented. "I guess _they_ have something to be cheerful about."

"At the expense of wasted lives," Nagase added.

"They can't help what other countries do to us," Blaze replied. "We're just their customer and right now our demand is on the rise compared to a few months ago."

"I guess your right," she nodded, returning to her book.

"On the plus side," he added, "I can actually get some peace around here without all those reporters hanging around. I just don't understand why those talking heads think they're so special."

"I wish I knew, Blaze. But, like you said, not all of them are total jerks." She closed her book and swung her legs over to face him. "Genette still wants an interview with you."

"Well why hasn't he said anything?" Blaze asked dumbly.

"He respects your privacy and doesn't want to spoil your image of him by asking for one."

'_Well I'll be damned,'_ Blaze said to himself. "Next time I see him I'll look into setting one up."

XXXXX

After sitting in silence in the lounge for a few more minutes Genette entered to get a snack from one of the machines. "Hey, Genette," Blaze called out to him and stood up.

"What is it, Captain?" Genette asked stopping in front of the machine.

"I noticed that you had video tapes of interviews with my pilots."

"It's no big deal, Blaze," Genette explained. "I'm not even going to release them until…"

"It's alright," Blaze held up his hand. "I was just wondering why you didn't ask me for one."

"Well, you didn't seem to warm towards the other reporters. And I figured you didn't want to talk about your past."

"I don't," Blaze admitted. "But I think _you_ would be respectful enough to ask decent questions. That's why I'm agreeing to one."

"Oh!" Genette beamed with excitement. "Well, when can you get around to one?"

"Tomorrow or the day after would probably be best," Blaze replied. "I'll met ya here around, noonish?"

"Works for me, Blaze," the journalist nodded. "And thank you."

"That was…unexpected," Nagase said as Blaze returned to his seat.

"Well, I figured that if the guy has been holding back on asking for an interview for so long he must be worth it."

"True."

XXXXX

-31 Oct. 2010

However, the interview would have to wait. First thing the next day Wardog was ordered to partake in simulated land attack missions in support of amphibious operations. They were loaded with blue painted inert practice bombs and they ran practice bombing runs on the keys south of Sand Island. Perault insisted that they work at it until they had it mastered. And then he requested that they do it at night as well.

"What the hell has gotten into him?" Chopper asked after they got back from their night run. "Why are we working on this whole bombing thing now?"

"Two guesses," Blaze replied since he didn't know the whole story. "One: he wants us in the air as much as possible so that we're out of his hair. And two: there's going to be an invasion of Yuktobania coming up."

"What!?" Chopper shrieked. "Why would we want to invade them? We've already forced them back and they've seemed to back off."

"I'm just floating theories," Blaze said as they walked up the steps to the locker room. "But it makes logical sense. There's going to be an amphibious landing coming up soon, maybe even in the next couple days. And we'll be providing close air support for it."

Sure enough, when they exited the lockers they were met by Hamilton. "Get as much rest as possible," he advised them. "You're going to need it." And with that he walked off.

"Yep," Blaze nodded. "We're invading Yuktobania sometime tomorrow."

'_But…why?'_ Nagase moaned inwardly.

XXXXX

-01 Nov. 2010

'_This is bullshit,'_ Blaze said to himself as he led Wardog through the pea soup weather. "This is Wardog Lead," Blaze called out over the radio. "We have the beach in sight. Awaiting target coordinates."

"_Roger Wardog,"_ the ground commander replied. _"We've just landed and we're taking heavy artillery fire from coastal batteries to the east."_

"Confirmed, targeting artillery. Wardog squadron, weapons free," the flight broke and raced towards the target.

"_This is Company B,"_ a ground unit called out. _"Commander, we have the beachhead bunkers in sight."_

"_Stand by. Wait for some air support."_

"Targeting artillery position," Nagase called out as she cued up one of her AGM-65 Maverick missiles.

"Take it out, Edge," Blaze ordered.

"Missile away!" The high speed ground attack missile rocketed towards the target. As the squadron banked away the battery was silenced as a column of flame lit the sky.

"This is Archer," Grimm called out, "Landing beach in sight."

"Look at all those ground forces," Chopper commented. "How could the President authorize an escalation of the war like this?"

"_Air squadron!" _The ground commander called out. _"Those bunkers have us pinned down. Take them out while we flank them."_

"Roger," Blaze replied. "Alright Wardog, everyone pick a bunker and lock on." They turned perpendicular to the beach as each pilot selected one of the four coastal bunkers. "Ground forces, stand by. On three. One…two…three. FIRE!" Four Mavericks leapt from beneath the Wardog F-16's and arced towards their targets. In the span of less than two seconds four bunkers exploded and caved in under the air attacks.

"_Direct hit! Pilots that was perfect! All units, charge!"_

"Did you know?" Grimm said as they passed overhead. "My older brother is down there."

"What?" Chopper snapped. "Why didn't you say so before you idiot? Where is he?"

"I don't know; they all look the same."

"_Air squadron, we've got trouble. We've got a flight of ground attack planes flying in from the west and rocket artillery is raining down on us from the fortress!"_

"They're being directed from somewhere," Blaze said. "Chopper, Grimm, you two take care of those attack planes. Nagase bomb those rocket launchers. I'm going to see if I can't locate where they're directing those artillery strikes from."

"Be careful, Blaze," Nagase said as the squadron broke off.

As Blaze raced along a mountain ridge he found and strafed a radar array to blind the enemy. "Radar destroyed," Blaze said as the dish collapsed and tumbled down the slope. _'That ought to dampen their firepower.'_

"Blaze," Nagase called out a minute later. "I knocked out another artillery battery but I can't get close to the rocket launchers. They've got SAMs all over the fortress."

"Alright, get back to the beach and cover the ground forces," Blaze said. "I think I see where they're directing those artillery strikes." He dropped down into a narrow ravine, skimming past another bunker. "I'm going in below those SAMs."

"_Air support!" _The ground commander shouted. _"I need air support! Those bunkers are murdering us!"_

"We'll take care of it," Chopper said as he and Grimm rolled in for a combined missile and strafing run.

"There it is," Blaze spotted the control tower. He pulled back on the stick and targeted the control tower with another Maverick. "Missile away!" He fired as he kicked his afterburners in. He pulled away as the missile slammed into the tower and knocked it over. The burning tower must've fallen onto an ammo dump because the next thing Blaze knew a fireball followed his plane up into the air. SAMs came up after him but combined with his hard turns and chaff they failed to track. He pulled away and headed back for the beach. As he finished the turn he spotted a Mi-24 Hind attack chopper. He quickly lined up and took it out with a short burst from his cannon. After dodging another SAM he targeted a bunker and fired his third Maverick, neutralizing it. He raced over the crumbling structure as the ground troops moved to secure it with their APCs.

"Amazing," Nagase said inadvertently over the radio. "I don't think I'll ever be as good as Blaze."

'_Modest girl,'_ Blaze grinned to himself.

"_This is the ground commander. The operation is proceeding smoothly. Preparing to assault the fortress."_

"Wardog, weapons check," Blaze ordered.

"I have one 'winder and one Maverick," Chopper replied.

"Same here, Captain," Grimm added.

"Blaze, I've got no more Mavericks and two air-to-air missiles," Nagase informed him.

"Roger. Nagase, take the rear and watch out for fighters. Chopper, Grimm, you guys target the fortress bunkers. I'm going to hit their motor-pool."

"Roger that, kid," Chopper agreed. The pilots turned and dove for their respective targets. Nagase flew behind and above them keeping an eye out for fighters. As the bunkers exploded she spotted two Su-27 Flankers approaching from the north.

"Missile away," Blaze called out as he fired on the motor-pool. Tanks, trucks and armored vehicles exploded as he broke the sound barrier passing over the concrete walls of the fortress.

"_These Sand Island guys, rock!"_ Someone on the ground cheered.

"Blaze!" Nagase shouted as she noticed the Flankers approaching her captain. "You've got two bandits on your six!"

"Damn!" He turned to avoid a missile and cannon fire. "Get them off me!"

"I've got your back kid!"

"_Enemy positions silenced,"_ the ground commander called to his units. _"We're infiltrating the fortress."_

CLANG! Blaze flinched as he heard a thirty millimeter shell ripped across his port wing. "I'm hit but not bad!" He called out.

"Blaze! Break right!" He looked up in time to see Nagase flying right towards him.

"SHIT!" He did as he was told as Nagase fired a Sidewinder into the lead Flanker.

"Bandit down!"

"Nice one, Edge!" Blaze laughed at her ballsy move. "There goes the other bandit! Rolling in."

"_Commander,"_ a ground unit called out. _"We can't go any further. That last bunker is spitting rockets, machine guns and cannon shells like some dragon!"_

"Hold fast!" Blaze called out. "Blaze, fox two!" He fired one of his sidewinders but the Flanker shook it off. "Damnit!" He broke right to stay with the more agile fighter. As he got into a firing position he was too close for his last missile so he unleashed a volley of cannon fire into the twin engines. Fuel lines erupted as the pilot ejected right over Blaze's plane. "Bandit, down. Returning to the fortress."

"_Hurry up," _the ground commander called out. _"We won't last much longer under all this fire!"_

"Locked on! Missile away!" Blaze fired but as the missile hit it failed to completely destroy the bunker. "Damn. That thing is tough." He banked to avoid another SAM until the launcher was destroyed by a tank on the ground. "Wardog, on me!" The four pilots rejoined him. "Prepare for strafing run. Fire into the front of the bunker."

"Roger, Blaze," Nagase agreed. They formed up in a straight line and aimed their cannons right into the bunker's face.

"Fire!" Four streams of 20mm cannon fire raced towards the bunker. Most of the shells hit harmlessly on the reinforced face and ceiling of the bunker. But a few shells managed to slip through the long firing port and ignite the ammo stored inside. The resulting explosion forced the pilots to turn hard and climb away and destroyed part of the wall.

But the explosion and raining concrete didn't phase the tanks and armored personnel carriers down on the ground. Only a few seconds later, the ground forces had secured the beachhead. _"Whoa, yeah!"_ The ground commander cheered. _"They're never gonna call us losers again!"_

"Cheerful guy," Blaze commented as his flight formed back up to head back to base after refueling.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: FINALLY! The fic that many readers have called the best AC5 fanfic ever written is back! I repeat! This story is _NOT_ dead! Sorry it took so long. I just had to get back into the game after training in the Navy and such.Plus I had to completely rebuild my fanfic database after my old computers original hard drive clonked out on me. But in any case, _The Champion of the Razgriz_ is back with the adventures of Blaze, Edge, Chopper and the rest of your favorites from AC5. Now on to the show!

CH. 16: CAUGHT IN A JAM

-02 Nov. 2010

There was no rest for the Wardog. The four Osean aces had no sooner woken up before they were informed by Hamilton that they were needed over Yuktobania again. Chopper, as always, was the first to speak his mind. "For crying out loud man! Can't we get a break once in a while? Is that too much to ask?"

"What's the chore this time?" Blaze asked Hamilton as the pilots ate what breakfast they could.

"Our ground forces reached the opposite end of the Bostok Peninsula around midnight. As a result much of the Southern Yuke Army forces defending the peninsula were cut off. Those forces are now being withdrawn in a massive airlift."

"If those forces are able to regroup they'd be a formidable hazard to our forces," Blaze saw where this was going.

"Right," Hamilton nodded. "Your planes are already being fitted with as many air-to-air missiles as they can carry. Also, be forewarned, the Yukes may have jammer craft with them."

"Well," Blaze sighed. "Let's get to it."

As they were walking out to their planes Blaze noticed Nagase seemed a little down cast. "Something wrong?" He asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I just don't understand why we'd invade Yuktobania when things were just starting to calm down."

"Well, like you said. We lost our one trump card when the Arkbird's laser was disabled. When that happened we lost our equal footing. So our only option was to get a way to negotiate from a position of strength. At least, that's my theory." Nagase nodded. She understood what Blaze was getting at, but she was still confused. "Listen; don't worry about that up there. Let's do our job and trust in the President."

"Alright, Blaze," Nagase nodded. "Let's get to work." They then mounted up and took to the sky once more.

XXXXX

At just after six in the morning the four Wardog pilots arrived at the ambush point over the Dresdene province just ahead of the front lines. The ground beneath them was nothing but rugged mountains with a few small towns in the valleys. In the larger town to the north there was the Dresdene People's College of Engineering. But that was ruled off for the military as no fly territory. It was a civilian facility with no ties to the Yuke war machine and therefore not a legitimate target.

"Chopper," Blaze grumbled at the rock fanatic. "I've told you this already. I'm _not_ a Sky Kid fan. I wouldn't know 'Face of the Coin' from 'Back of the Coin'."

"_Due to current circumstances,"_ a recording of General Howell's voice sounded off on all frequencies as part of the PsyOps part of the campaign, _"we've been forced to set foot on Yuktobania with weapons in hand. However, out true enemy here is the Yuktobanian military who started this unjust war."_

"Transport squadron dead ahead," Blaze called out. "Wardog, weapons free. Engage."

"Roger. Archer engaging."

"Edge engaging."

"Whoops. Chopper engaging." The four pilots then cued their AIM-120 AMRAAMs and locked onto separate planes. Once they had solid locks they fired. A moment later the four medium range missiles hit their targets and four transports were ablaze. That's when the radar started acting up.

"Whoa!" Blaze snapped when he noticed his radar. "Hold fast! Something's wrong with the radar." Dozens of blips appeared all over the area.

"There's way too many signatures," Chopper agreed. "Kid, Nagase, how 'bout you guys?"

"No kidding! I never would've figured that out," Blaze shot back.

"There!" Grimm called out. "Lt. Chopper, jammer aircraft!"

Sure enough there was a TU-22MP EW jammer plane flying at high altitude. "I see it, Nagase, Grimm, you two go after the jammer."

"On it, Blaze." Nagase confirmed as she and the junior pilot climbed to engage the jammer.

"Chopper," the Captain called to Wardog 3. "Let's fly ahead and see if we can't find any others."

"Right behind ya, Kid." The flight broke into their respective groups and raced to their targets.

"_We wish to work hand-in-hand, harmoniously, with the citizens of Yuktobania for this operation."_

"_Report from Bjely. Picking up something on radar."_ A Yuke pilot announced. Blaze figured they were talking about Wardog.

"Blaze," Nagase called out. "We took out the jammer. But the radar is still jammed."

"_There must be another active electronic jammer,"_ Thunderhead deduced.

"It's got to be mixed in with all those fake blips," Blaze said. "We've got to find it."

"Hey, Kid!" Chopper announced. "Looks like we've got bogeys."

"Are you sure? Could they be fakes as well?"

"I don't think so."

"Let's turn and check it out. Edge, you and Grimm keep looking for that jammer. But watch out for fighters." With their radar jammed they'd have no way of know what might be actual fighters or decoys.

"Roger, Captain."

"Coming into visual range," Blaze said as he and Chopper aproached the possible bogeys. Suddenly he got a missile warning.

"Missile! Break!" Chopper cried out as he dodged a missile along with Blaze. That proved it.

"Turn and burn, Chopper! Engage at will." Blaze turned maneuvered to engage a fighter.

"Kid! Watch your six!" Blaze barely had time to break and turn to avoid cannon fire from a Fulcrum.

"Where'd he come from?" Blaze asked rhetorically. _'Damn, radar jammers. Can't see shit.'_

"I've got him Blaze!" Chopper said rolling in. "Bring him right." Blaze did just that. "Fox Two!" Chopper's sidewinder snaked out and blew the offending MiG apart. "Yeah! That's a kill!"

"Another bandit, below us," Blaze spotted. "I'm going after him."

"I got ya covered." Blaze rolled in and lined up behind the MiG. The enemy pilot made a hard left but Blaze kept with him. But the enemy pilot kept moving, not giving him an easy target.

"Can't get a lock! I'll have to get him the hard way." He thumbed his control to guns and brought his sight to bear. "Firing!" 20mm shells soared from his Vulcan cannon and tore through the MiG's engines.

"Kid!" Chopper called out. "There's a transport. Three o'clock high!" Blaze looked and sure enough there was a real IL-76 transport right there. "I'm going after it."

"Roger, I'll cover you." Chopper shot down the transport with a sidewinder. The port wing buckled from the hit and the cargo plane began spiralling slowly towards the earth. "Alright. Let's see if we can't rejoin Edge and Grimm."

"Got it."

"_Therefore," _the recording kept playing. _"I ask you, citizens of Yuktobania, do not fear us, but rather join us in…"_

"Hey, Kid," he said to the Captain. "You think it's going to be that easy?"

"Maybe. But I doubt it." Blaze said lowly.

"Blaze," Nagase called to him as they neared. "We spotted the jammer but we're heavily engaged with enemy fighters."

"Hold on," Blaze said. "We're coming." He and Chopper then kicked in their afterburners and raced into the dogfight. "Locked on!" Blaze called out when his AMRAAM tallied a bandit. "Fox Three!" The missile leapt from his plane and raced out to the fighter. "Bandit down!"

"Captain!" Grimm called out. "There's too many of them! They're all over me!" Blaze spotted Grimm with three Fulcrum's on his tail.

"Hang in there! I'm rolling in." Blaze dove down and lined up behind a bandit. "Fox Two!" his sidewinder raced ahead towards it target. "Bandit down!"

"Edge, engaging!" Blaze looked to see a trail of cannon fire take out another MiG.

"Nice one, Edge!" By this time, Grimm had been able to swing around behind the third bandit on his tail.

"Archer, fox two!" He was all over him. "That's a kill!"

"Good job, Grimm!" _'He's getting better.'_

"We've got to find that jamm…" Nagase's transmission was cut off by screeching. In a bolt of panic Blaze looked, thinking maybe she was hit. But her plane was intact and there were no bandits in sight.

"_Enemy…jamming waves…"_ Thunderhead's voice was fading in and out._ "Interference…"_

"Wardog! Switch to alternate frequencies!" Blaze repeated twice hoping they'd hear him. As he was cycling through his channels, all jammed, Blaze heard something.

"…_leader…"_ Blaze quickly switched back thinking it maybe his squadron trying to reach him. _"…units, proceed as planned."_

'_What the hell is this?'_

"Damnit…" He heard Chopper growl. "Even ou…dios…can't…"

"_Heads up!..." _Blaze heard on a ground to air frequency. _"…us!"_

"Hey, Kid, yo…th…pre…n the Air…?" Blaze couldn't make out what Chopper was saying.

"Chopper! Say again! I repeat! Say again you last!"

"It's…jammed!" Grimm cried out.

"_ECCM! Restore communication link!" _Thunderhead called out once the radio jamming was cleared.

"I've got the jammer!" Chopper called out. "Engaging!" Chopper dove down firing his cannon. The shells clipped off the starboard wing and the jammer spiraled down and into the mountains.

"Jamming is cleared!" Blaze called out when he noticed his radar was clear. "Wardog, resume the attack!"

"Roger!" The four pilots turned, regrouped and resumed their attack. Within a few second three more transports were blown to pieces.

"_The Osean planes are firing on a school packed with civilians!"_ Blaze heard over the radio and froze. _"They're at the engineering college!"_

'_Wait…'_ Blaze's thoughts slowed. "What was that?"

"_Whoever's violating orders," _Thunderhead called out. _"Cease fire immediately."_

"What idiots doing that?" Chopper asked as Blaze and Nagase fired AMRAMMs at more distant transports. Chopper and Grimm followed suit a moment later.

"_Attention units operating in sector Charlie Omega, attacks on civilians are forbidden!"_

"That's right near us," Grimm noticed.

"Hell, that's where we're supposed to be operating!" Chopper agreed.

'_This isn't good.'_ Blaze suddenly got a very bad vibe.

"You see those idiots anywhere?"

"No joy," Grimm replied.

"This is Edge. I'm not seeing any aircraft like that either. Are you sure?" Nagase agreed._ "Multiple casualties! Get an ambulance over here fast!"_

"They sound sure," Blaze replied. "What the hell is going on?" Blaze asked as he dropped another transport with his cannon. He then rolled in and engaged another flight of MiGs. He got a lock on the lead fighter and fired another Sidewinder. "Bandit down." The second MiG climbed and turned away only to be taken out by cannon fire from Nagase.

"_Damnit! The Osean bastards!"_

'_But we didn't do anything!' _Blaze wanted to scream bloody murder right there.

"_This is Thunderhead. Wardog did you engage in an attack on a civilian facility?"_

"What!? Hell no!"

"_Roger. So you're sure you didn't do this?"_

"Yes I'm Goddamn sure!"

"Why would we do that?" Chopper asked. "Weren't you watching from up there?" Grimm and Nagase took out two more transports with sidewinders.

"_Don't break formation,"_ the Yuke commander ordered. _"Your primary mission is to escort the transports."_ Blaze took out the last transport of this group.

"_So we're just gonna watch them die?" _Blaze paused. His conscience was doing back flips. On one hand he had orders to destroy all the transports. And on the other he knew someone, Osean military or not, was attacking a civilian facility. A clear violation of international agreement.

"That's what I hate about…" Chopper cried out. Blaze looked at his radar. There was only a small group of transports left. And a good number of enemy fighters between them and Wardog. But they were too busy engaging Wardog to cover their people on the ground.

'_Son of a bitch!'_ Blaze cursed inwardly. But he already made up his mind. "Wardog! Disengage!" He ordered over the squadron frequency. "I repeat, disengage and head south fast!" He turned to lead them away."

"But…wait!" Grimm called out as he turned.

"Blaze!" Nagase cried out. "What are you doing?"

"Stand by," Blaze said as his formation formed back up. "Thunderhead, my gauges are showing I'm on bingo profile," he lied. "I don't know if it's a faulty gauge or not. But I'm bringing my squadron home."

"_Captain, you do not have authorization to return to base." _Thunderhead replied.  
"We've already dealt heavy damage to their force and we're running low on missiles. And there are too many fighters between us and the remaining transports." That part was true. "I can't risk it."

"_Roger, Wardog,"_ Thunderhead relented. _"Mission Complete. Return to base."_

XXXXX

"Blaze," Nagase called to him as they flew over their front lines. "What's going on? Why did we break off the attack? We had the momentum."

"Someone was murdering innocent civilians," Blaze said unsnapping his mask. "And the Yuke fighters couldn't protect them if they were engaging us."

'_So you broke off the engagement to allow their planes to go to the rescue,'_ Nagase put the pieces together. "And your fuel?"

"Looks like it was just a faulty gauge," Blaze chuckled. "It's reading good now. But it wasn't a moment ago."

"Well," Nagase smiled. "That's good to hear."

Once they had landed the Wardog pilots were immediately met by base security. Hamilton was there too. "You've been ordered to report to Central Command HQ at Oured," he informed them.

"Why?" Blaze growled as an SF took his and his wingmen's sidearms.

"A Yuktobanian university was attacked in your area of operations," he explained. "You'll be debriefed and interviewed at Oured." He then handed them wardrobe bags. Their class 'B' uniforms. "A transport is being readied right now. And you four are not to discuss anything until after you're interviewed." They'd been gagged and all but arrested. Blaze didn't reply he just marched off towards the C-130. His fellow pilots followed.

'_This is not going to be a fun trip.'_ The Wardog Captain growled inwardly.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thanks everyone! It feels good to be updating this fic again. And reading the reviews never ceases to put a smile on my face. One bit of brainstorming from me. I won't work on this for a while but I was thinking of doing a prequel to this story once it's finished. Just a thought I had the other day. (What do you think?) Anyway, I won't start work on that until I've finished this fic.

We now return to _The Champion of the Razgriz._

CH. 12: THE PILOTS COURT

-04 Nov. 2010

The Wardog pilots' five hour flight to Oured was in silence. They were seated in separately in the cargo hold of the Hercules transport with MPs watching them to make sure they didn't try to talk to each other. Blaze figured it was a means to keep them from corroborating their sides of the incident and make sure they would tell it from their own point of view. But it still pissed Blaze off; him and his wingmen being treated like prisoners.

When they landed the pilots were shown to a cheap motel near the HQ. There they were allowed to freshen up, shower and rest. The first thing the next day the pilots dressed into their Class 'B' uniforms and were driven in separate vehicles to the Headquarters building. After checking in they were led to the hall outside the conference room where their 'interviews' would take place. Felt more like an interrogation to Blaze already.

They were seated separately again and waited. Each pilot was brought in one at a time. Nagase went first, followed by Grimm then Chopper. They saved Blaze for last.

Blaze waited his turn with his arms folded across his knees. He couldn't help but look over his pilots when they came out of the room. Nagase looked like she was on the verge of tears. Grimm was red with embarrassment and Chopper looked pissed. Blaze could tell he was going nuts just holding his tongue. Finally, his turn came at the boiler plate. "Captain Ingram," the orderly called him in. Blaze stood straight and marched into the dark conference room.

He counted four Generals; a pair of one stars, a two star and a three star. The only non-flag officer on the committee was a full bird colonel. In front of the committee was a female Tech Sergeant sitting at a laptop and microphone to record the proceedings. Blaze marched up to the podium and stood at a rigid attention. "At ease," the three star, Lt. General Brewer said. Blaze relaxed a little but kept staring straight ahead. "State your name and rank for the record." It was already going like a courts martial trial.

"Captain Hannibal Ingram, Sand Island Detachment of the 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron," Blaze spoke clearly in a professional tone.

"Thank you," General Brewer nodded. There was a slight pause.

"Now, Captain," Brigadier General Crawford spoke next. "Please relate to us exactly what happened on the second." Blaze did just that and recounted the aerial fight over Dresdene. He of course didn't mention his lie about his fuel status. He also made it clear that none of his flight attacked any ground targets, let alone a civilian facility. When he was done the senior officers started asking questions.

"So, Captain," Colonel Richards spoke up. "You claim no member of your flight attacked any civilian targets and neither you nor any of your flight saw any planes that did?"

"Yes sir," Blaze replied. "Not on our radar or visually."

"And yet your four planes were the only ones in the AO at that time?" Brigadier General Dixon asked.

"We were the only ones tasked to Charlie Omega, yes sir. In addition, none of our planes were equipped for ground attack."

"Well then. Maybe you can then explain how this level of damage was caused." The projector displayed an image of a dormitory building. The front of the building had collapsed and numerous holes could be seen along the roof and brick walls. More buildings were shown with similar damage. A few were on fire, possibly from a ruptured gas main. There were no bomb craters and no blast damage. Blaze then deduced, as had the investigators, that cannon fire had caused the damage.

"It would appear that the attackers strafed the buildings with cannon fire," Blaze replied. "But my squadron did not fire anywhere near ground level. And I also doubt that we fired anywhere near the amount of rounds required to do such damage."

"Well, we'll never know now will we?" Colonel Richards spoke up. This caught Blaze's attention.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"When and if you get back to Sand Island, Captain, you'd best have a chat with your maintenance crews about fire prevention procedures."

"Sir, I have no idea-"

"Last night there was a fire in the maintenance department office on Sand Island," the colonel elaborated. "Any record of the number of rounds replaced in your fighters was lost. Burned."

'_Well just my luck.'_ Blaze grumbled inwardly. _'But I still have a trump card.'_ "I'll be sure to do that sir. But there are still the flight data recorders and gun camera footage. Now I'm fairly certain none of my planes dropped below fifteen hundred feet. And even if I was wrong about _that_, I guarantee that the camera footage will show that we fired _only_ at aerial targets."

"Funny how you should bring that up Captain," Gen. Crawford spoke up. "Turns out the transport plane ferrying said recorders and camera footage crashed last night on its way here." Blaze's mind took a nose dive.

"What?" _'The only evidence to prove our innocence?'_

"Details are sketchy but it would appear that shortly after take-off the fuel lines burst, caught fire and brought the plane down," Col. Richards explained. "The crew was rescued with no injuries. But the wreck sank to the bottom of the sea." That broke the camel's back.

"Permission to say that this stinks like a load of crap, sir," Blaze barked. "I could've written the fire back at Sand Island off as an accident or a case of rotten luck. But the transport now too? The one plane that carried evidence that would clear my squadron, goes down just like that? I don't believe in such…ridiculous coincidences."

"Are you suggesting that someone is trying to set you up?" General Dixon asked.

"I'm suggesting that something's off here, sir."

"Frankly that sounds a little paranoid to me."

"Also," Gen. Crawford added, "If what you say about your flight's behavior is true then your AWACS Thunderhead would've corroborated it."

"I beg pardon?"

"The AWACS crew was unable to confirm or deny your flight's actions for nearly half the battle. The during which communications and radar was being heavily jammed."

"How convenient," Blaze grumbled.

"And quite frankly," the General went on. "We don't like going on a he said they said basis with evidence. We prefer facts. And these are the facts we do have. One; your squadron fired an uncertain amount of cannon rounds. Two; the damage caused to the civilian structures was caused by cannon fire. Three; your flight was the only flight within range to attack said structures. Four; no member of your flight was able to offer any convincing explanation or evidence of who did attack the college. That goes for the AWACS crew as well."

"But all that you have, sir, is little more than circumstantial evidence."

"And that's just convenient for you isn't it?" Major General Garnett. The two star had remained silent the whole time.

"For me, sir?"

"Colonel Perrault, your base commander, has mentioned numerous times in reports that you have a certain level of disregard for his authority."

"It's not his authority," Blaze replied. "It's his command philosophy."

"Yes well, your background does cast a certain shadow over you."

"My background, sir?" Blaze asked. He had an idea what the General was getting at. But he wasn't about to play that game.

"You must understand our viewpoint, Captain," Col. Richards spoke up. "Today we're having an interview with a squadron which may or may not have fired on a civilian facility causing an as of yet unknown number of deaths. And while there is a lack of evidence pointing to either side of the coin one fact remains unclear. And that is that the commander of said squadron is of Belkan descent." That definitely touched a nerve.

"That's got nothing to do with me, Colonel," Blaze held back his temper.

"Maybe not," General Dixon disagreed. "But I do know that seven cities and nine million people stain your heritage."

"Forgive me for sounding antagonistic but I can't believe that I'm being lobbed in the same group that mass murdered their own people!" Blaze spat. "And if I may be so bold as to refresh the General's knowledge of history, I was _ten_ when that happened. I barely understood what war was let alone what was going on at the time."

"And yet you share the same genetic code as those who killed nine million of their own people in an act of cowardice."

"I. Have. No. Relation. To. THEM!" Blaze barked. "I am an officer in the Osean Air Force. I took an oath to defend my nation and its Constitution! And I took no part in any action that would harm my nation or its credibility. And I would never attack noncombatants."

"I'm not entirely sure we believe you, Captain Ingram," General Brewer growled. Blaze ground his teeth in rage as he stared at this kangaroo court.

XXXXX

When he exited the room Blaze was told that his squadron members had been sent back to the motel. He was returned there and he found them waiting in his room. Apparently they were relating their own experiences with each other. "Well," Blaze grumbled. "That was a bitch-and-a-half."

"I take it they didn't treat you kindly either?" Chopper asked. Blaze didn't reply. "I thought so. And they probably brought up the same old same old with you, didn't they?"

"Bingo," Blaze said as he flopped back onto his bed. "And what's worse, all the evidence that could've, would've, cleared us was lost."

"What?" Grimm asked next. Blaze then explained what he was told not half an hour ago. "That's impossible!" Grimm shouted. "There's no way something like this happens by coincidence!"

"No kidding," Blaze said. "And it didn't seem they were interested in believing my story from the beginning."

"They didn't believe any us either," Chopper said folding his arms.

"Not even about that other squadron," Nagase said solemnly, having kept quiet the whole time.

"Squadron?" Blaze's head popped up. "What other squadron?"

"Didn't you hear it?" Chopper asked.

"Hear what?" Blaze sat up.

"During the battle," Grimm spoke up, "When our radios were jammed we heard another squadron. I heard their callsign. They called themselves the…" He fought to remember. "8942nd …no, the 8492nd …9492nd…agh! The adrenaline was pumping at the time and…I'm not sure myself anymore!" Grimm's head sunk between his knees as he grasped it with both hands.

"I can't help but think I've heard of that squadron before," Blaze tried to remember but for the life of him he couldn't.

"Well, according to the committee that squadron doesn't exist," Grimm said. Grimm rubbed his face in his hands. Blaze took the pause to look over his wingmen.

For fifteen years a part of him believed he was cursed. He had a hard life growing up with very few friends. He had a hard time in training to be a pilot with his only saving grace being his mentor Bartlett, who was still MIA. The three in the room with him were pretty much the only family he had left. And now, it seemed like his curse had caught up with them as well.


End file.
